currently untitled
by shushufangirl
Summary: after college kenshin himura has returned to his old highschool as the new homeroom teacher, with a sadistic prinicpal saito and shishio as a blubbering homophobic basketball coach! who has kamatari as his star player. all hell breaks loose when he finally meets his class
1. Ep 1: Enter Kenshin Himura

Characters aren't mine, appreciate comments though.

Major OOCness and set in the present, disregard for the timeline and story line of the series. 

Reminders some discrepancies from the series:

Actually major discrepancies from the series…

Kamatari, Sanosuke and Yahiko are brothers in this fic and they have the last name Sagara. 

Enishi is 17 years old where as Tomoe is 18. 

Kenshin is around 22.

Chou has the last name of Youjin, Shiro's is Tanada, Tsubame's Kitano.

Shishio is not burned to a crisp.

Currently Untitled

Ep.1: Enter Kenshin Himura

***

Kenshin Himura looked at the big clock on the building's façade, 8:00 the front lawn was deserted signaling that the bell had already rung. He swallowed suddenly nervous it was after all his first day.

"Sir." A voice called behind him. He turned around to find a beautiful girl with raven hair and blue eyes smiling at him. "You dropped this." She said handing him the little stuffed bunny key chain. 

"Thank you." he blushed at his lucky charm and stuffed it inside his pocket. She smiled before sidestepping him and running towards the front doors, it was here that Kenshin noticed that she was wearing the school's uniform.

***

"You come highly recommended Mister Himura." 

"I am sure they exaggerated Principal Saito." He smiled at the man sitting behind the desk, his feet propped up and his cigarette burning lazily in his mouth.

"I remember you, you played forward am I correct?" The principal smiled.

"I used to for the school." He smiled sheepishly. 

"A shame we didn't get to be teammates."

"You were five years ahead of me sir."

"Yeah the school lost its championship when we left, but I'm glad you won it back for us."

"Heh, it was a team effort."

"I will not lie to you Himura, I hired you because we played for the blue and white of Kainan and I do hope you will not disappoint me." he said waving his hand.

"I won't sir." He said nodding. He stepped out of the Principal's office and bid good morning to Miss Takani the school nurse, which he met in the corridor.

"Was that the new teacher?" she asked closing his door.

" Kenshin Himura, used to study here."

"Oh, handsome man isn't he?"

"He is also five years our junior Megumi." 

"Oh a little age difference never really hurt anybody." She winked.

"Why did you come here?" he asked irritably.

"I missed you." she smiled coyly.

"Did you get bored in the clinic again Miss Takani?" he asked amused.

"It seems somebody doesn't come to see me anymore."

"The school year is beginning I have a lot to do." 

"Well…then you must be too busy to have dinner at my place tonight then?" she teased starting to walk out. Saito caught her in his arms and kissed her deeply.

"Hmmmm I think I can spare and hour or two." He winked.

"Two would be best." She smiled. "By the way what class is Himura teaching?"

"3-G."

"Yukishiro's class? Oh that poor man."

***

Section 3-G

He stopped before the door, straightened his tie and placed his hand on the door handle. He took a deep breath and opened the door.

The class suddenly grew silent. He smiled and went to the blackboard picking up some chalk and writing his name on the board.

"My name is Kenshin Himura and I will be your class teacher for this year." he said facing the class once more. The class was silent. A hand raised up in the air.

"Yes?" he asked the girl with the big bow.

"Are you the Kenshin Himura that played for Kainan four years ago?" 

"Yes."

"Oh wow! You were like totally great!" she squealed and the class began buzzing about how good he was and how it was him that won them back the championship.

"I don't think so." A voice said from the rear. He looked at where the voice was coming from. Behind the girl with the pink bow was a young man with white hair, he had on a pair of blue specs and his uniform was open in front. They held gazes for a moment.

"Well sir as class president…" the class groaned as a girl with a braid stood up. 

"Shut up Makimachi!" they called but the girl didn't seem fazed by it at all.

"I would like to welcome you to our class." She grinned.

"I would take it you are Misao Makimachi?" he smiled warmly. "Thank you Miss Makimachi." 

He started the roll call.

" Kamiya, Kaoru." 

"Here." She was the one with the big bow she was pretty.

"Makimachi, Misao." 

"Here Mister Himura." He smiled someone in the back coughed but it sounded more like 'brown-

noser' and the class laughed. "Shut up!" the girl was turning red.

"Sagara, Sanosuke." There was no answer.

"Sagara, Sanosuke?" 

"Hey idiot its you!" one of the boys hit the head of the boy sleeping in the back. He lifted his head, his eyes still closed and drool coming out of his mouth.

"Eeeeew!" Misao stuck her tongue out.

"Shut up weasel!" he spat out.

"Mister Sagara?"

"Yeah?" he said sleepily.

" Tanada, Shiro?"

"Here and handsome baby!" he smiled standing up. The boy who was making the choking noises and who whacked Sano on the head.

"Oh please!" Misao said gaining her a paper ball in the face.

"Yukishiro, Enishi." Silence, he was about to call out his name again when the white-haired boy raised his hand.

***

Section 4-A

Aoshi Shinomori walked into his classroom skimming the faces looking for those he knew. He was about to sit beside Soujiro when something that sounded like a wounded animal glomped on to him.

"AOOOOOOOOSSSHHHHHHHHIIIIIIIIII!" he winced at the voice.

"Keep away from me Kamatari!" he said pushing him off his arm.

"But…But I missed you sugar!" he said pursing his lips.

"YOUJIN!" he called the other boy. 

"Come on Tari, it's the first day for crying out loud." A boy with very tall blonde hair said holding on to the shorter boy's shoulders. 

"But I missed my Aoshi-kins!" he said letting go nonetheless. 

"Seta." He said sitting beside the eighteen-year-old. He looked around the room once more. Someone else was missing.

"Umm Miss Komagata?" Kamatari asked raising his hand. Yumi Komagata put down her compact and looked irritably at the smiling boy.

"Shouldn't we call the roll?"

"You're all here, I'm happy." She said going back to putting on lipstick.

"Um Miss Komagata?"

"What?" 

"That color is totally wrong for you!"

"Out Sagara!"

***

Section 1-C

Yahiko looked at his new uniform and smiled. Finally he was wearing the same dark blue pants his brothers…well brother wears. He has been waiting three years to walk down these corridors. 

Finally he was in high school.

He left the boy's bathroom and made his way toward his classroom. The fear of unfamiliar faces seemed to melt away as he spotted his friends.

"Hey Sagara." Tsubame smiled. 

"Hey Kitano." He sat down beside her, he was glad most of them decided to go to this high school at least he was with most of his friends from junior high.

"Sagara, Yahiko?" The teacher asked.

"Yes?"

"Any relation to the Sagara brothers we already have?" 

"I am the youngest sir."

"The Sagaras have quite a reputation here." 

"So I have heard." He said his face blushing.

***

Kenshin rubbed his temples, he had been with his class a total of thirty minutes and already he was looking forward to finals. Not that they were bad kids, its just…they were too varied. He didn't know how to get the others motivated and how to calm the others down. 

"Not feeling well Mr. Himura?" a voice asked beside him.

"Oh hello Ms. Takani. No I'm ok just a little…"

"Confused?"

"Yeah."

"3-G will do that to you." She smiled. They were in the auditorium waiting for the principal's start of school announcements, they were sitting on the stage because they would be introduced to the whole student body. From where he sat he can already hear his class. He didn't need to look up, he knew right where they were.

"Hey Sagara move your ass!"

"Quiet class!"

"Shut up Makimachi!"

"Fuck you Tanada!"

"Leave the weasel out of this."

"Why Sagara…"

"If you keep teasing her she'll just keep on whining and I can't get any sleep with that grating voice of hers!"

"Droolsferbrains!"

"Kiss ass!"

"Hooligan!"

"Goody two shoes!"

"Shut up you two!"

"Stay out of this Yukishiro!"

"You think that's his real hair color, I've never seen such red hair?"

"Hey Kamiya likes Mr. Himura!!!"

"Kaoru and ….hey what was his first name?"

"Kenshin you dolt! Don't you listen at all in class?"

"Well forgive me if I jot down everything the teacher sayz!"

Kenshin sighed. How was he going to get through the year?

"Hey Mr. Himura! Mr. Himuraaaaaaaaaaaaaaa."

"Yes Ms. Makimachi?" he asked standing up and wincing as many angry eyes turned to him. He moved to the side of the stage since his class was not that far and prayed they don't do anything that would make him more humiliated.

"We were debating on whether you had a girlfriend already."

"Oro? Couldn't this have had waited until we got back to class?" he asked turning as red as his hair.

"Well we were just kinda curious." 

"No! Ok can I go now!" he said wanting to crawl under the chairs and die as people started whispering.

"Sheesh you don't have to be such a grouch about it!" 

Kenshin made his way back to his seat. 

"Hey Sagara get your ugly mug out of my face or I'll rip it off."

"Who are you to talk mouse hair!"

"Why you…"

"Hey Yukishiro." The class grew silent as Aoshi's voice boomed over their bickering. The upperclassman was seated across the aisle from them with his class.

"Yeah?" Enishi asked from where he was slouched beside Kaoru.

"Tell your class to can it." he said stoically. 

"Shut up you idiots." But he didn't have to say it because the whole class was already looking at Aoshi with fear in their eyes. The noise had ceased the moment he said hey.

Kenshin's eyes went wide. _Wow._

"Oh I see you've met Mr. Shinomori." Megumi muttered. He looked at her stunned. "Yeah he has that effect on people." She smiled. "He's the team captain of our basketball varsity, top honors in class, editor of the school newspaper and he should have been this years' student council president but he dropped out of the race."

"Why?" he asked still eyeing the stoic youth.

"He wanted the new president to win." She smiled.

"Hey you lousy kids!" came principal Saito's welcome address. The whole auditorium grew even more quiet. "Looks like you're gonna have another year with me. So lets get this straight I don't want more work than I already have this year. There are rules so follow it. Oh yeah and for the freshmen, this is high school no one will wash your ass for you here." One freshman stepped out sobbing. The principal looked satisfied and the students had to hold down a collective gasp as a grin crossed his face.

"Uhhm was that wise?" Kenshin asked quietly.

"Oh he's never satisfied until he gets one to cry. He seems harsh but he gets the job done."

"Ok with that I will now leave the floor to your President." He sat down next to Megumi and a girl came up the stage. Kenshin's eyes grew wide.

"Hello and good morning to all of you." Tomoe smiled as the students began to relax.

***

end episode 

notes: heh sorry to all knk fans but this one is going to be a kenshin/tomoe fic


	2. Ep 2: Kainan High and it's gods

Ep.2: Kainan High and It's gods 

*** 

The assembly had just broken up and the classes were beginning to file out of the auditorium. Kenshin looked at the people still stunned at the turn of events. From his class embarrassing him in front of the whole school to the welcoming address of Principal Saito to the realization that that girl was actually student council president. It was all a blur. 

"Mr. Himura?" she asked coming close to him, he just looked at her. "You can go now." 

"Oh yeah thank you…this is the second time I have been in your debt Miss…?" he jumped blushing a little realizing he was the only one left on stage. 

"Just call me Tomoe sir." She smiled she turned around and went down the stage. His eyes followed her as she greeted Aoshi who was evidently waiting for her. 

"Why were you late?" he asked walking beside her. 

"I woke up late and Enishi left me behind." 

"Next time I'll pick you up." He said. 

"Enishi just wanted to come to school with Kaoru that's all. I told him to go without me." 

"Hmmm, you're brother should take better care of you." 

"He does." 

*** 

Kenshin sat in his desk feeling drained. It was Friday and the school day was over and he thanked god he got through the week. His class was tiring at best and migraine material at worst. It seems there are more worst days then best days. 

He stood up and decided to walk around the deserted campus reminiscing about his high school years. He walked around the classrooms smiling as he recognized the carvings he made in his seat four years ago. He passed by his old locker and entered the gym. 

The basketball team was training that afternoon and he decided to watch. 

"Kenshin Himura!" he heard the voice and looked at a handsome man in a sweatshirt come close to him. 

"Shishio Makoto?" he asked. "I didn't know you coached the team." 

"Yeah I was offered the job when we graduated, I've been coaching ever since." 

"Oh I see. So this is the team huh? Brings back memories." He looked at the players in the court and he smiled, three of his students were there. Tanada and Sagara were fooling around irritating the other players, Yukishiro was on the court. 

"Three of my students are in the Varsity." He smiled. 

"You got Sagara's class?" 

"Yeah." 

"I pity you then. I handle them two hours a week and it's enough to give me a headache, you must go nuts having to put up with them everyday day." Kenshin just smiled at his former teammate. 

"You think we got a chance to win the championship?" 

"We came close last year but Shinomori busted his knee so he couldn't play. But now he's alright and put in Yukishiro for offense and Sagara for defense and our team is invincible." 

"That's great." 

"Hey Himura lets have a game for old time's sake?" 

"Uhm I'm not dressed." He looked at his leather shoes and rolled up sleeves. 

"Oh come on!" 

"Ok Makoto but don't cry if I beat you." he joked. 

"Team I would like you to meet Kenshin Himura. We were teammates, this guy is the best forward I have ever seen." He said as the team gathered around him. 

"Me and Himura here will show you babies how the game is really played." 

*** 

Kenshin smiled, his white shirt was soaked but he didn't care, he missed the court. Since he started college he barely had time for playing. He sent the ball sailing and it slipped between Shishio's hands and entered the basket…ringless. 

"Whoooo! Way to go Mr. Himura!" Shiro called. 

"Twenty one! And that Mr. Makoto is game." He said smugly. 

"You won by one point don't be so ecstatic." 

"I won it in my leather teaching shoes." He winked. 

"Fine, fine!" he smiled. "Ok boys I think that's enough for today, go hit the showers." 

*** 

"Damn! Did you see that play he did when he sidestepped the coach and slammed the ball right in the basket? Right in Coach's face!" Shiro demonstrated shooting his towel into his locker. 

"Man who would have thought a skinny guy like that…" 

"I've seen better." They looked at Enishi as he shouldered his gym bag and left the lockers. 

*** 

"Hey Sano haul your ass!" Kamatari called from the yellow Honda civic. 

"Geez I'm coming! Hey Mr. Himura." He called as he saw him leave the school building. 

"Oh hey Sagara." 

"Nice game." 

"Thanks." 

"Hi cutie!" both of them froze, Kamatari got out of the car and looked at the red-head with predatory eyes. 

"Umm Hello." He smiled. 

"Lets go." Sano said dumping his bag on his younger brother seated in the back. 

"Hey!" Yahiko shouted. 

"Wait why are you in such a rush?" Kamatari said and gave him one of his looks. 

"Hey Mr….?" 

"Himura I am Sanosuke's teacher." 

"Mr. Himura want a ride?" 

"Tari!" 

"Shut up Sano!" 

"No it's ok I have my own car." 

"Does that car also come with a girlfriend?" he winked. 

"He doesn't have one, he announced it to the entire school remember?" Yahiko called from the back Kenshin felt his face display its own sunset. 

"Oh yeah! So you want a ride?" 

"He isn't interested Tari now lets go!" 

"We waited two hours for your ass so shut up!" 

"So Mr. Himura if you want to go out sometime…" 

"Its school policy that a teacher can't go out with students Ms. Sagara." He smiled. The two others began to laugh. 

"Clam up or you two are walking home!" 

"It's a shame. I won't be a student for long though." He smiled getting into the driver's seat. 

"See you around Mr. Himura." 

"Yes. See you tomorrow then Sanosuke, it was nice meeting your sister." He waved. 

"He's my brother!" Sano called from the moving car. 

Kenshin's hand stopped in midair as a cold shiver ran down his spine. 

*** 

"EEEEEEE! It's Sagara and Tanada!" the girls in the corner squealed announcing the arrival of the basketball team in the cafeteria. Sano threw them a smile while Shiro rolled his eyes. 

"You could at least pretend to be straight." Sano said turning to him. 

"What?! You're crazy! Besides you're only getting their hopes up, sorry man but I am not as cruel as you." he said sitting across from his best friend. 

"Hey Sano?" A girl came blushing up to him. 

"Yeah Keiko?" 

"It's Reiko." 

"Oh yeah sorry." 

"Listen me and the girls are going out for some pizza later, I was wondering if…" 

"Yeah sure I'll come with you." he smiled. The girl brightened up immediately. 

"Oh and Tanada-kun, if you wouldn't mind…" 

"You're wasting your time, he's gay." Sano said not looking up, Shiro's head suddenly jerked up. 

"Fuck you man!" 

"We would love it if you joined us as well." The girl continued as if she didn't hear what Sano had just said. 

"Listen…" Shiro began. 

"It would mean a lot to Minako and Ana…please Tanada-kun?" 

"It's just that I have a lot to do and…" he said looking exasperated. 

"Please? Sano-kun please make him go?" 

"He's going don't worry about it." the girl left literally bouncing with excitement. 

"Why'd you do that for?" Shiro said whacking Sano on the head. 

"She would never leave if I didn't." 

"And I was really looking forward to doing something else tonight." He huffed. 

"Oh quit whining and humor your public you ungrateful louse." He said through a mouthful of potatoes. 

Shiro sighed. It was only Monday and from the looks of it he knew it was going to be a long week. 

*** 

"Aoshi! It's Aoshi!" 

Tomoe looked at the direction of the girls pushing each other to get a look at her friend. They all began crowding around him, trying to get a conversation going with him. She edged slowly away and headed toward the snack bar, buying a Crunch bar. She looked back at Aoshi, still surrounded by his sea of fans and smiled. Everyday it was the same. 

"I have to eat now, sorry." He said extricating himself from their clutches. He looked over to where Tomoe was eating her candy and walked briskly in her direction, praying his hoard of female followers wouldn't give chase. 

"You could have at least saved me." he muttered. 

"And miss the fun?" she smiled. They both watched as Enishi and Kaoru entered, being left alone and arrive at their table unharmed. 

"Maybe I should get a girlfriend?" Aoshi said quietly. 

"Heya sweethearts!" Kamatari chirped coming in between the two. 

"Hello Tari." Tomoe smiled. 

"Hey why are you with MY Aoshi?" he said turning to her. 

"He's all yours." She said moving away. 

"Tomoe?" Tomoe turned and saw Soujiro walk toward her. 

"Hey Soujiro." She said waving to him. 

"Is that all you're eating again?" He said pointing to the candy bar. 

"I'm not hungry." 

"You can't survive on these things alone." He scolded. 

"I am just not hungry." She smiled at him. 

"Come on lets share my lunch." 

"I'm…" 

"You will eat half or else I'm going to confiscate this." He said taking the candy bar away from her. 

"Ok…ok" she said walking with him. 

"Hmmm aren't they rather chummy?" Kamatari muttered letting go of Aoshi and pouting. Aoshi followed the two with his eyes until they were seated before buying his own lunch. 

*** 

"You know I hate it when girls give me that DIE-YOU-EVIL-BITCH look." Kaoru whined. "Couldn't you just quit the team?" Enishi gave him a quizzical look. 

"Ok, I know! It's Tomoe, the team and then me." his girlfriend pouted. 

"You say that as if it's so wrong." 

"It's just that sometimes it feels like I mean nothing to you." 

"You're cute." 

"You're not listening." 

"If that is what you think you are to me, then you don't know me at all." Enishi smiled at her and Kaoru's heart melted. Falling into her boyfriends' arms and kissing him softly. A collective groan rose up from the people in their table. 

"Could you like not do that while we're eating?" Shiro said throwing his fork away. 

"Hey gay man, we don't complain when you are drooling over Kamatari." Enishi said. 

"I am not gay!" he shouted. 

Enishi looked around the table. Sano and Shiro were being their idiotic selves once again. He smiled they had been together since junior high and although he would not admit it, these two were his best friends. He remembered when they were still teasing Kaoru and the other girls in the seventh grade, trying to look up their teacher's skirts and trying to maim each other in the basketball court. It was funny to think that next year they were going to be seniors and then after that college. He was missing them already. 

"Shut up you two." He ordered whacking both on the head. 

*** 

Aoshi stared at his desk littered with little pink envelopes. He sighed and looked over at Chou's table. His teammate was sitting in Kamatari's chair writing something in his notebook while Kamatari was reading the love notes littering Chou's desk laughing at what it said. 

"Hey Chou listen to this, 'I love it when you put the ball into the ring with both of your hands, you look so strong!' hahaha! Man this is funny, it's called a dunk bimbo!" 

"Aw just leave the letters alone." He said returning to his writing. 

"Hey Soujiro maybe you can use this as material for your next play." He said throwing it to him. Soujiro looked at the letter quizzically before sniffing it. 

"Hey it's even scented!" he smiled giving it back. 

"Yeah and it's the cheap imitation kind too." Kamatari said crumpling it. 

Aoshi picked up the whole lot of his own letters and threw them in the trash. 

"Hey won't you even read some of them?" Kamatari asked opening another one of Chou's. 

"No." Aoshi said sitting beside Tomoe and opening his book. 

*** 

"Sano-kun!" He opened his eyes and saw the girl waving to him from the doorway. He got up lazily and scratched the back of his head as he leaned against the doorframe of his classroom. 

"Hey Tsubame-chan. What're ya doing here?" he smiled seeing the blush forming on her face. "Where's Yahiko?" 

"Uhm, he didn't wanna come." 

"So what's up?" 

"Uh well, you see…" she was fiddling the bag in her hands nervously. 

"Did you smuggle me cookies again?" he smiled eyeing the little pink bundle. The younger girl nodded her head vigorously and beamed at him. "Well let me have 'em before you crush them into birdfeed." 

She gave him her little gift and turned around triumphantly. Smiling to her classmates that were watching her from the stairs. 

"Hey Tsubame-chan!" Sano called making her turn around again. "Thanks sweetie." He winked at her and chuckled at the interesting shade of red she turned. He smiled to the girls waiting for her, "Ladies." 

He turned around amid the squeals of delight of the freshmen girls. He laughed popping three cookies in his mouth, it was cute at times, making them blush like that. You would think that this would flatter him, but for Sanosuke Sagara this was an everyday occurrence and sometimes it was down right annoying. 

"Geez man lay off the kids!" Shiro said stealing some cookies. 

"They come to me, for your information." He said swatting his hand away. 

"Greedy jerk!" 

"You don't have the charm, you don't get the munchies." He laughed downing the last of the cookies. 

"What a pig!" Misao whispered. 

"What you say?" he said hitting her on the head with the crumpled wrapper. 

"I said you are a pig and I don't know why those girls even bother!" 

"Oh sure Makimachi, if I didn't know any better I'd say you'd want to join them! You have the look for it anyway." Shiro chuckled imagining their class president squealing with the younger girls as Sano passed by. He was brought out of his little daydream as the blackboard's eraser hit him squarely in the face. 

"Freak!" 


	3. Ep 3:Try Outs

Episode 3: Tryouts  
  
***  
  
"What do you mean this crap is meat? It looks like mud! Probably tastes like it as well" Chou shouted at the cafeteria lady.  
  
"Listen you take it or leave it!"  
  
"This doesn't even looked cooked!"  
  
"Take it or leave it Youjin!"   
  
"Fine I'll take it." he winced as the goo was slopped onto his plate. "Oh and Mrs. Li?"  
  
"What?"   
  
"I missed you too." Chou made kissing noises and laughed as the elderly woman smiled, he had always fought with her, ever since he bought his first lunch here.   
  
"Hey Tari what are you looking at?" he asked as he joined his friend.  
  
"Look at the way that slut is draping herself all over my Aoshi!" he looked at the direction he was pointing at and saw Tomoe not only apart from Aoshi but both seemed aloof to each other.  
  
"What are you talking about you loon? Yukishiro and Shinomori aren't even close to each other, Seta is in between them for crying out loud!"  
  
"Yes but look at her try to seduce him!"  
  
"She's not even looking at him."  
  
"Oh the agony…did you see the new teacher? Sano's teacher is so cute with his red hair and…" Chou just sighed. He had known Kamatari since they were in junior high, even before he started chasing guys.  
  
"Chou? Chou?"   
  
"What?"  
  
"Nothing." He smiled he could be so cute sometimes. Kamatari used to play for the team when they were in junior high, he taught Sano everything about the game.   
  
Kamatari had always looked like a girl and his boys' clothes always made others take a second look, but when he started wearing a skirt people really thought he was a girl.   
  
"Hey Kamatari." Tomoe smiled as she, Aoshi and Soujiro joined them.   
  
"Hey Tomoe did you see the movie on…" Another thing about Kamatari was that he was never really serious about Aoshi, it was just a cover up. In truth the four of them were the closest friends since they all came from the same junior high and have been classmates ever since. It was just a running gag for them.   
  
"Chou? What's with you man?" Kamatari asked as he was jolted out of his contemplation.   
  
"I think its something in the food." he smiled.   
  
***  
  
"Hey squirt!" Sano called his little brother.   
  
"Shut up Sano." Yahiko pouted.  
  
"Come join us, bring your little friend as well." He waved.  
  
"Maybe we shouldn't…" Tsubame said looking at the upperclassmen.  
  
"Aw come on Kitano." Yahiko said moving towards the junior's table.  
  
"Hey guys you all know my baby brother Yahiko and this is his girlfriend Tsubame."   
  
"She is not my girlfriend!" He squealed grabbing some of Sano's fries.   
  
"Hahaha you both do have the same hair." Shiro laughed.  
  
"Yeah but I am better looking." Sano smiled.  
  
"Nah Kamatari looks better than both of you."  
  
"He looks like a girl!" Yahiko burst out.  
  
"Anyway this is Shiro, Kaoru and Enishi."   
  
"Hello." The girl smiled shyly.  
  
"So Tsubame, you and Yahiko-chan were classmates in junior high?" Kaoru winked at the younger boy.  
  
"Don't call me chan!"  
  
"You're in high school already?" Enishi asked raising his eyebrow.  
  
"Yep and I'm gonna try out for the varsity."  
  
"Good luck then."   
  
"Thanks."  
  
"Hey too bad Kamatari doesn't play for the team anymore, then we would have three Sagaras on the team."  
  
"If he gets in, what is it with you and my brother? You have a crush on him don't you?"  
  
"Do not!"  
  
"Anyway we have to go, come on Kitano I need to copy your homework." He said dragging her away.  
  
"Nice to meet all of you." she called over her shoulder. Sano watched them walk away trying to remember when she had stopped coming to their house. He shook his head, he wouldn't go down that road…he was notorious when it came to women but he wasn't THAT evil.  
  
***  
  
"Wait until you reached your high point you idiot!" Kamatari called as he passed Yahiko the ball. "You shoot when you're going up, you won't maximize your height that way."  
  
"Look at your stance, you're gonna get pushed over. Its not stable enough!" he kept giving pointers to the younger boy. They were in the court waiting for the tryouts.   
  
A couple of boys entered the indoor court and saw the two of them, they made cat calls at Kamatari's legs which were being shown in abundance due to his very short shorts. He looked back at them and winked.  
  
"Eeeew its Kamatari yuck yuck!" they made choking noises as Kamatari gave them the finger.  
  
"Hey Oniisan?" He looked back at his younger brother, he smiled wasn't it only yesterday that he was bossing Sano around.  
  
"Yeah?"  
  
"Um could you be here during try outs?"   
  
"Sano will be here." He said shooting another free throw.  
  
"But I want you to be here, its different when you're here."  
  
"Please Tari?" he pleaded using his irresistible little brother voice.  
  
Kamatari looked at his younger brother, his eyes softened.   
  
***  
  
Try outs have been going on for about an hour now and he was standing outside the gym's doors looking like an idiot. He knew he should be inside, Yahiko wanted him to be there.  
  
He loved playing, it's just that he didn't want to be around all that testosterone anymore, not to mention the new coach was a real pain. He took one look at Kamatari and the word homophobe was written all over his face. Kamatari decided he didn't want that facing him every time he showed up for practice.  
  
He was actually the best player of the Sagara brothers, his father's pride and his heart attack when he saw him in a girl's uniform and looking damn good in it. After Mr. Sagara recovered his shock settled in to helpless acceptance as his wife fussed over the new 'daughter' she had always wanted.   
  
"Tari?" he spun around to see Soujiro looking at him. "Are you ok?"  
  
He managed a smile. "Yeah."  
  
"You miss the court?" Soujiro asked looking at him, in their little group only Soujiro didn't play ball. At first they thought he might feel left out having preferred theater than basketball, they teased him endlessly about it.   
  
"Nah. Not really." He said looking at the papers in his hands. "Drama club?"  
  
"Yep, we might do Cupid and Psyche. Corny huh?" he laughed showing him the script.   
  
"Let me guess, you're Cupid?" he smirked, his friend was the best actor in their school, ever since sophomore year he had been getting lead roles.  
  
"Nope I have to audition first."  
  
"You'll get it."   
  
"Which reminds me, would you like to audition seeing as you haven't had a club for a year now."  
  
"Nah, I'm not cut out for theater."  
  
"I think you'd be great."  
  
"What's it about anyway?"  
  
"About a girl who had true love and lost it and did everything in her power to find it again."  
  
"Did she?"  
  
"You're gonna have to audition to find out." He smiled.  
  
"Nice try Seta."  
  
"What have you got to lose? Come on for me?" he pouted.  
  
"We'll see." The taller boy brightened and continued walking. Kamatari turned back to the gym doors and the squeaking of the sneakers inside. "We'll see."  
  
***  
  
"Go Yahiko!" he called from the stands, his little brother looked up at him and he waved.  
  
"Hey Kamatari! Come sit with us!" Shiro called. The whole team looked up at him.  
  
"No, I'm ok here." He smiled.  
  
"Yeah Oniisan so you can see how it feels like to sit on the player's bench." Sano called, they were waiting for the tryouts to finish.  
  
"Yeah I know what it feels like. And I know what it feels like to win MVP. TWICE!" he called.   
  
"Come on Kamatari!" again Shiro called.  
  
"Man you really have a thing for him dontcha?" Sano hit him on the head.  
  
"Tari, come sit with us." Aoshi called.  
  
"No thanks." He said sticking his tongue out, he didn't want to be near the court, he might miss it suddenly.  
  
***  
  
"Training team, Ayanami, Sato and Sagara. You start training next week. To all the rest thank you for trying out and maybe next year you boys will get in." The coach called. A cheer was heard as the team welcomed the new Sagara.  
  
"I did it Tari!" he ran up to his older brother.  
  
"Yeah you did, I knew you would." He smiled weakly as they climbed down the bleachers.   
  
"I can't wait to tell Tsubame!" he jumped up and down.  
  
"Go wash up I'll wait for you outside." He said pushing him toward the showers.   
  
He began to walk out of the courts praying that they did not take notice of him.  
  
"Ok dress up and start running laps." Shishio ordered. Kamatari hastened his pace. "Kamatari, can I talk to you for a second?" he froze.  
  
"Uh yeah coach?" he stopped turning around. The older man started walking towards him.   
  
"I can really use a good guard." The coach hinted.   
  
"Sorry sugar but all you're going to get out of me is a cheerleader!" he winked.  
  
"Aw come on Sagara!"  
  
"Coach Makoto you have two Sagaras already you don't need another one!" he said leaving  
  
"If you don't join the team I will kick Yahiko out!"   
  
Kamatari turned around. "You wouldn't dare!"  
  
"You said so yourself, two time MVP and a hell of a handler. I would be stupid to let you slip through my fingers."  
  
"So you finally got over your fear of queers?" he asked arching his brow.  
  
"Er yes, very much." He smiled unconvincingly.  
  
"Since you asked so nice and since I know it's killing you just to ask me to join, yeah I'll give it a shot." he said.  
  
"Great I'll see you at practice next Friday then."  
  
"Yeah and you better be ready coz I'll be bringing all my gay pheromones with me!" he laughed as the coach paled.  
  
***  
  
He looked at himself in the mirror his old jersey not quite fitting him anymore.  
  
"How is it?" Sano asked looking in on him.  
  
"It's a tad too small." He pouted.  
  
"Hahahhah" Sano broke into laughter, unable to contain it anymore. It fit him so tight the uniform was literally breaking at the seams.  
  
"Shut up Sano!" he said in a foul mood.  
  
"Why what's up?" Yahiko joined them, freezing for a moment when he saw his eldest brother before joining his other brother rolling on the floor with laughter.   
  
"Give me one of yours Sano." He said going to his closet.  
  
"Hey!" Sano said chasing after him.   
  
"Hmmm I could put a nice bias over here and maybe trim these shorts a little, cut some fabric off here coz Sano's so fat…" he said eyeing Sano's red jersey.  
  
"You could just wear your P.E. uniform, that's what we all wear when in practice you know." Sano said unwilling to hand over one of his jerseys to be mutilated at his brother's hands.   
  
"Yuck that garish thing? I wouldn't be caught dead in that!"   
  
"Geez its only practice oniisan." Yahiko said.  
  
"Yes and I shall be stylish in it!" Kamatari said retreating back to his room.   
  
"It would be quite a sight in the interhigh. Our best point guard will be squealing once the other team enters the court." Sano said shaking his head. But already both of them knew practice would be a lot more fun now that Kamatari was there.   
  
***  
  
notes: I decided not to put any serious stuff in this fic, rk was depressing enough as it is I think I'll have fun with this one… 


	4. Ep 4:Love on the third floor

Episode 4: Love on the third floor  
  
***  
  
"Sagara, I heard Kamatari's finally going to play?" Misao asked.  
  
"Stick your nose in your own business Makimachi."  
  
"I wonder how Kamatari looks in a jersey? I bet he looks better than you as a girl and as a guy."  
  
"Buzz off!" he yelled swatting her.  
  
"Hahahaha." Shiro laughed pointing at her.  
  
"God morning class. Please turn to page sixty four and do exercises 6, 7, 9, 13, 15, 17, 22, 23, 27 28." The class' jaw dropped collectively.  
  
"Maybe you're leaving some out Mr. Himura." Shiro called.  
  
"Hmmm you're right, 30, 31,33, 36 and 41."   
  
"Awww thanks a lot Tanada!" they started throwing paper balls at him.   
  
***  
  
"Kaoru." He called motioning for her to come to him.  
  
"Hey sweetie." She smiled resting her back on the tree he was leaning against.  
  
"Let's skip school." He said wrapping his arms around her waist.  
  
"Oh no, not again!" she said wiggling her finger no.  
  
"Come on Kaoru, we never get to hang with each other anymore."  
  
"We see each other everyday!"  
  
"Yeah but not with all these weirdos."  
  
"Those weirdos are our friends Enishi." She pouted putting her arm on her waist and looking up at him through her bangs.  
  
"I'd much rather be with you." he whispered kissing her softly.   
  
"Hmmmm that was nice." She winked kissing him on the nose. "What do you think about dinner tonight?"  
  
"I don't know Tomoe…"  
  
"Sheesh sometimes I think I compete with your sister for affection!" she pouted once more.  
  
"Oh you know she always comes first." She started nodding before realizing what he just said.   
  
"Enishi Yukishiro you are dead!" she yelled running after the laughing junior.  
  
***  
  
"Chemistry laboratory will starts on Friday, now I want you guys to pair up with a girl." he smiled watching as each girl turned a different shade of pink. "Let's get some romance going on here."  
  
"Yukishiro and Kamiya emanates enough for the entire class!" Shiro whined.  
  
"Ooooh it must have taken you a long time to look that word up cheeseferbrains." Misao muttered.  
  
"Which reminds me, Mr. Tanada and Ms. Makimachi are partners." Kenshin said gravely trying not to smile.  
  
"WHAT?" both screamed standing up and looking at him with I'll-kill-you-if-it's-true look.  
  
"Hahaha." Sano laughed pointing at the two.  
  
"It's time you two love birds kiss and make up." Kenshin laughed.  
  
"I'd rather kiss someone's ass first." Misao said under her breath.  
  
"You do that a lot already." Shiro retorted.  
  
"Now be nice." Sano chuckled.   
  
"Oh and Mr. Sagara, since we are 31 in this class one won't have a partner so I'm suggesting you group up with Mr. Tanada and Ms. Makimachi."   
  
"Suggest it to someone else coz me and Okon here are already partners." He said getting nervous.  
  
"It's Omasu." The girl blushed.  
  
"No, Ms. Oni will just find a new partner. You're with Tanada and Makimachi."   
  
"Yeah Sano, suffer with me." Shiro called.  
  
"Sir! Please anything but those two idiots, I want to have a future." She pleaded grabbing hold of Kenshin's legs.  
  
"Uhm, it's not like I'm asking you to marry them. It's just for lab and I'm sure Mr. Tanada and Mr. Sagara will turn out to be very nice young men once you get to spend some time with them."  
  
"The only thing they will turn out to be is the cashier in the supermarket." She said sobbing into his pants.  
  
"What did you say?" both boys asked standing up once more.  
  
"Now Ms. Makimachi don't over react." He smiled.   
  
"Yeah weasel, you're the luckiest girl in the entire junior's class right now." Sano said sitting down.  
  
"Oh don't make me gag!" Misao said being dragged back to her seat.  
  
***  
  
Enishi scowled as he watched his girlfriend flirt with their teacher. He knew Kaoru had a crush on him even if she denied it to the high heavens. The way she tucks her hair behind her ear and the way she tilted her head to one side told him this, he knew because that was how she got him.  
  
"What was that about?" he asked his every word dripping with contempt as she returned to her seat.  
  
"I just asked him if he could give me pointers because chemistry is killing me." she said reorganizing her things.  
  
"You could have asked me for help." he said sourly.  
  
"Had it been math I would consider that but as of right now it looks like I am the one that can tutor you." she smiled.  
  
"Tomoe can help you." he said not taking his eyes off of her.   
  
Kaoru shivered, she was never comfortable with Tomoe although she was warm and friendly toward her she had always felt a certain uneasiness when they were together. The fact that she was the only real family that Enishi had and the fact that the two of them were very close made her feel threatened by his older sister   
  
Tomoe was just too perfect in Enishi's eyes and this made her resent her and make her feel like she had to compete all the time. But to Tomoe's defense she had never really sent any signals that Kaoru wasn't welcome. On the contrary she was actually nice to her but that was just how Kaoru felt and she knew she had to get over this inferiority complex because she really did love Enishi.   
  
"Then I'll take them as well." he said. Kaoru looked back at him.  
  
"But you have basketball practice, everyday practice starts next week right?"   
  
"I'll skip it, one day won't make a difference." he said.  
  
"But…" she stopped at the look he gave her. "Great we get to spend an extra hour each week together." she chirped happily.  
  
"Ms. Kamiya, Mr. Yukishiro would you share what you are discussing with the class?" Kenshin said calling the attention of the two.  
  
"Um sorry Mr. Himura we were just…"  
  
"What we were discussing is no business of yours." came Enishi's cold remark.  
  
"Everything that goes on in my classroom is my business Mr. Yukishiro." he said staring the boy straight in the eye.  
  
"You don't know anything about us, who do you think you are?" he ground out.  
  
"I am you teacher and I would appreciate it if you would give me some respect."   
  
"You earn respect you don't get it from an occupation." he finished looking out of the window.  
  
The class grew silent. Kenshin looked at the boy for a moment before breaking out a smile and continuing with the lesson.  
  
***  
  
1600  
  
The class began emptying out trying to beat each other to the front door. Kenshin began erasing the blackboard.  
  
"Mr. Yukishiro can I speak to you." he said not turning around. Kaoru looked back at him and he waved her away. When the classroom was empty save for the two of them he asked Enishi to sit in front of him as he dusted his hands.  
  
"Listen I think we got off on the wrong foot." he smiled sitting on the teacher's desk. "I don't know what you have against me but I don't think you have judged me fairly and I do not understand why you...."  
  
"I don't like you Mr. Himura understand that." he said crossing his arms.  
  
"What have I done that makes you so angry? What is it about me?"   
  
"If you want to bond with someone, go ask Makimachi because I don't think I will be much of a bonding companion." he said sarcastically.  
  
"Hmmm I was hoping we could iron things out but it seems you would rather clean the bathroom with your tongue than talk to me." he said fixing the papers on his desk.  
  
"Can I leave now?" Enishi asked coldly.  
  
"I really wish you would give me a chance Enishi because I would really like to get to know you." Kenshin sighed as he sat behind the desk. He looked at his student and shook his head.   
  
"Please ask your mother to see me this Friday after classes." he said motioning for him to leave. Enishi stood up and left the classroom slamming the door behind him.  
  
***  
  
Kenshin sighed as he entered the teachers' lounge the usual barrage of gossip greeted him as he tried to reach his cubicle without getting sidetracked.  
  
"Hey listen to this…capital of Morocco: swerswesam. That's not even a word!" students' tests were popular readings in the lounge.  
  
"I caught one of the boys looking up my skirt again." One of the girl teachers sobbed.  
  
"You think they're together? I thought Kamatari Sagara was the only queer in this school."  
  
"Have you seen Tanada and Sagara? They never leave each other's side!"  
  
"It would be a scary day if I found out those two were gay."  
"Why coz they're such a waste?"  
  
"For the women maybe but for me it's coz they're so big manly men I won't feel safe every time I go in the bathroom."  
  
"Himura!" someone called him just as he was three steps away from his cubicle.  
  
So close…so close…  
  
"Yeah?" he turned seeing Coach Makoto walk toward him.  
  
"Listen I need a little help with the team." He said scratching his head.  
  
"Why too many new talent?" he asked confused because Shishio Makoto never asked for help, not even when they were in high school.   
  
"Well no…you see I sorta recruited some delicate individuals that I think you might have a special understanding with." he said embarrassed.  
  
"Delicate individuals? What does he have a heart condition?" he asked even more confused.  
  
"Well no…its Kamatari Sagara ok! I desperately need him on the team and I don't really know how to handle homos."  
  
"Hey just what are you saying Makoto?" he said suddenly understanding what Shishio was getting at.  
  
"NO I don't mean that you're gay. It's just that I heard the teachers talking about how they heard…oh hi Ms. Komagata." He smiled as Yumi passed by.  
  
"Buzz off Makoto." She said not even turning.  
  
"Ok." he said his eyes all hazy, little hearts coming out of his ears. As soon as she turned the corner,"…Kamatari saying he thinks you're cute and maybe you know he'll listen to you." Kenshin did a double take with the sudden change in the person he was talking too.  
  
"Who are you?" he said looking totally bewildered. "One minute you're normal, then you're all gooey and out of it, then you're normal again."   
  
"Well you see Ms. Komagata has this effect on me. She slipped something in my food two years ago and I haven't been able to stop thinking about her ever since." He said.  
  
"I heard that Makoto!" Yumi threatened from across the room.   
  
"ehehe so anyway about Kamatari?" he said ducking so Yumi wouldn't see him.  
  
"One you don't call them homos, not unless you want the gay lib burning crosses on your front lawn. And two he likes half the guys here ask one of them to do it." he said finding the situation rather funny.   
  
"See you know so much about homos! Come on help me out, it could be like old times, of course there weren't any homos then. You think being a homo is contagious? I really don't get homos." Kenshin just shook his head.  
  
"For the sake of Kamatari's and the team's sanity ok I will help you." he said throwing his arms up in the air exasperated.   
  
"Thanks man you're a pal!"  
  
"Ah Yumi, he's over here." He said pointing to Shishio and walking away.  
  
"Why would you do that you evil homo?" Shishio shouted.  
  
"Homo?"  
  
"Is that why he doesn't have a girlfriend?"  
  
"Oh my what a waste…"  
  
"I am not a HOMO!" Kenshin shouted before closing the door and sealing all the gossip inside.  
  
***  
  
notes: sorry all shishio fans, I just wanted a new twist to his character… 


	5. Ep 5: And then

Episode 5: And then…  
  
***  
  
"The bunsen burner's flame is too high!" she screamed ducking to reach the gas knob on their work bench. "You're gonna get us all killed!" she turned to the two boys sitting behind her. Shiro was mixing two chemicals and the orange bubbles seeping out of the beaker was not a good sign. Sano on the other hand was sitting with his feet propped up on the desk, reading a comic book.  
  
"Shut up and do your work!" Sano called over his comic.  
  
"Mister Himura!!! Mister Himuraaaaaaaa!" she called waving her arms, she turned just in time to see him make a beeline to the lab technician's room. She turned back to their table just as Shiro's experiment exploded in their faces.  
  
"Shoot me, please." she whispered wiping the acid from her face.  
  
***  
  
"You will not leave the laboratory until you have cleaned this mess." He said looking at the two orange colored students.  
  
"But it was Tanada's stupid experiment!" Misao protested.  
  
"You three are a group, all of you are responsible for the other's actions so that goes for you too Mr. Sagara." he called over the two in front of him.   
  
***  
  
Misao was sitting on the floor wringing the rug over the bucket beside her, uttering every curse she had ever heard of when a t-shirt was thrust in her face. She looked up seeing Shiro in front of her.  
  
"Hey sorry I got you in this mess." he said sheepishly.  
  
"Don't I get a shirt too?" Sano shouted from across the room. "Tanada you fag!"  
  
"She's soaked to the bone we don't have to be jerks about it."   
  
"Don't worry Makimachi, he isn't coming on to you. Shiro here's a bonafide fairy!"   
  
"Shut up!" both of them said simultaneously.   
  
"Anyway Tanada you're ok." she smiled.  
  
"Have you forgotten that she is the enemy?" He looked at the two of them laughing at something Shiro said and ignoring him completely. "Yuck this is gross." Sano said throwing his arms in the air.   
  
Sure they had known Misao since freshman year and they have made her life a living hell since then. But Sano had always noticed how she smelled like peaches in the morning, he had always noticed how her cheeks burned after gym, he had always liked teasing her and getting snappy retorts in return. He had always found her amusing.  
  
***  
  
"Wow it looks like you guys will be done in another thirty minutes!" Kenshin joked as he entered the lab. He looked at Misao inside the oversized shirt. "Nice shirt." and he smiled when she blushed.   
  
"Isn't that Shiro's shirt?" he asked seeing the same blue shirt inside the classroom a couple of times and reprimanding Shiro every time because blue undershirts were not part of the school uniform. To his surprise the two of them turned red.  
  
"He…uh he let me borrow it." Misao muttered looking at the floor. Kenshin smiled even wider, he could almost forget that he had to speak to Enishi's mother that…  
  
"Oh shit! What time is it?" he screamed remembering the appointment, the three looked at him dumbfounded never had they heard him curse before. "What time is it?" he prompted once more.  
  
"Uh it's a quarter to five sir." Shiro answered.   
  
"Shit I completely forgot!" he began heading for the door. "Oh and I'm sorry for cursing and return the cleaning materials and lock the door when you leave please." he shouted over his shoulder.  
  
***  
  
He sprinted all the way to his classroom, congratulating himself for being such an idiot.   
  
Shit how embarrassing! And to think I would be lecturing her about Enishi's conduct in class and here I am late for our meeting! Jeez way to go Kenshin!  
  
His shoes shrieked to a stop at the door, thanking all his lucky stars he had worn sneakers that day. He fixed himself hurriedly and walked inside the room. She was standing by the window looking out into the courtyard.   
  
"Mrs. Yukishiro! I am so embarrassed! Please forgive me for my tardiness I was detained by three of my…" he stopped as she turned around. "Ms. Tomoe?"  
  
"Hello Mr. Himura."  
  
"I..d..don't…understand." he managed to stutter.  
  
"Oh, I am his sister." she said stepping closer to him.  
  
"Tomoe Yukishiro? That's your name?" he said congratulating himself once more for his stupidity.  
  
"I am sorry I never gave you my last name did I?"  
  
"No."  
  
"What has Enishi done now?" she asked frowning.   
  
"Oh yeah!" he said suddenly aware of the purpose of this meeting. "Where is your mother?"  
  
"Mama is out of the country you see."  
  
"Oh, well you see I wanted to talk to her. I wanted to know how she disciplined your brother because…"  
  
"She is never home." she interrupted him. "You probably know more about Enishi than she does."  
  
"Oh." well that was articulate!   
  
"Mr. Himura please understand, Enishi has always had a problem with authority he never follows anyone, save coach Makoto."   
  
"I see, but Ms. Yukishiro I can't have him embarrassing me in front of my students. They may not respect me anymore and that could become problematic." he stopped. "I'm sorry why don't we sit down?" he motioned realizing that they were standing in the middle of the room.  
  
"Now what I want to know is how do I get to Enishi? How do I stop him foaming at the mouth everytime he sees me?" he stopped hearing her chuckle.  
  
"Enishi's a good boy, he just has trouble getting along with people he doesn't like."  
  
"Well he already told me he doesn't like me." he said crestfallen. Tomoe smiled, he really was sincere about getting through to Enishi.  
  
"There really is nothing you can do Mr. Himura, let me talk to him."  
  
"I really appreciate it." he smiled.  
  
"Thank you for not bringing this to the principal. One more offense and I'm afraid he might get kicked out."  
  
"I don't understand why he's so angry."  
  
"Well you see all he's asking for is attention. Our parents are always overseas or out of town, I practically raised him. Ever since I could remember it's always been just him and me."   
  
"I think Enishi's got a lot of potential if he didn't hate academics so much. He can't rely on basketball forever, he's got talent but it'll take more than that to make it to the big league. An education will always benefit anyone who has one."  
  
"Is that why you stopped playing Mr. Himura?" she asked.  
  
"Me?" he stopped caught off guard with her question. "I loved playing ball its like nothing else matters when you're on the court. And just hearing the crowd roar when you send a ball sailing will always echo in my head. But we must grow up someday. I had four great years with this school and that's enough for me. Oh lets not talk about boring stuff. I do hope you can cope with your parents not being around."  
  
"You get used to it." she smiled sadly.  
  
"My mother died when I was young and I cannot for the life of me understand why your parents would throw away time they can spend with their children. For me there never seemed enough time to be with her or chances to say I love you." he stopped.   
  
Tomoe looked at him, his sad smile etched upon his face. From the pain in his voice and the lost look in his eyes she could tell that he knew what it was to love and to have to let it go. And yet something inside her felt hollow. Something told her that in all of his smiles there was always sadness. Something told her that he still carried that pain no matter how hard he tries to hide it. Something told her that there was so much more to Mr. Himura then he would let others see.   
  
"Do you have any children Mr. Himura?" she asked blushing when he caught her looking at him.  
  
"Haha I can't even get a woman to say yes to me, let alone have children." he smiled.   
  
"But you're good-looking!" she blurted out.  
  
"I don't think so. Besides teaching is my first love now. If she comes, she comes but as of right now I have my hands full just by keeping your brother's class in check." he laughed. "It would be great having a family though, who knows what a couple of years may bring."  
  
She smiled at him then.  
  
***  
  
Tomoe slid the door shut behind her and leaned on the door. How sad he seemed, how lost.   
  
She peered through the rectangular glass window on the door, seeing him sitting alone on his desk, watching the sunset. How sad he seemed.   
  
****  
  
Kenshin waited until nothing was left of the sun save the orange stain in the sky before he tore his eyes from the window and put all of his things inside his bag. Speaking to Tomoe brought back memories he had long since tried to forget. Something about her brought all his pain to the surface, opening him up, exposing him to the whole world. And then soothing it all away and telling him it was alright.  
  
As if she had come to take all of it away.  
  
He shook his head and made his way back to his car. She was beautiful and smart and young. He told himself that she reminded him what it felt like to be her age. That was all it was.   
  
  
  
*** 


	6. Ep6: Remedial Classes

Episode 6: Remedial Classes  
  
***  
  
It had been almost a week since his talk with Tomoe and it seems that she did speak to her brother. He rarely made snide comments now and didn't defy him outright anymore. He would just keep quiet in his class, he still wasn't listening to him, preferring to read his book or stare out of the window rather than participate but it was an improvement.   
  
He smiled, he wasn't asking Enishi to like him anymore, he was just glad with the courtesy he afforded him.   
  
"Ok I guess that's it for today. My remedial classes start this afternoon at 4:30 all of you that wish to attend may do so. We are going to answer the ten of the thirty questions we have as homework today."   
  
"Thirty?" Shiro shouted.  
  
"Shut up Tanada!" the class pelted him with paper balls, every time he had an outburst like that, the entire class ended up paying for it because it usually resulted in an additional 10 questions.  
  
"Fine since the weekend is coming up and I have been working you guys a little hard …"  
  
"Try slave driver Mr. Himura!" Shiro retorted garnering him an evil hiss from the class and hateful stares sent his way.  
  
"Twenty and that's my final offer. Take it or leave it." He said crossing his arms.  
  
"Ok! Ok!" Shiro muttered suddenly uneasy.   
  
"See you guys later." Kenshin smiled picking up his books.  
  
"Mr. Himura?" Kaoru asked coming close to him.  
  
"Yes Ms. Kamiya?" he asked, he smiled at the girl, she had always approached him after class.   
  
"What should we bring for the remedial class?"   
  
"Um well the usual school stuff I guess." He smiled leaving the classroom.  
  
***  
  
"Hey Makimachi…" he called going over to where Misao was reading her book.  
  
"Yeah Tanada?" she asked looking up. Ever since that incident in the lab they had not spoken to each other. It's as if he was purposely avoiding her slipping back into the Tanada she knew and erasing every trace of the kindness he showed her when they were mopping up their mess.   
  
"Could you help me with the homework?" he asked shyly.  
  
"Er I have this student council meeting later, why don't you just go the remedial class?" she said confused at why he would ask her to help him.  
  
"That's the beauty of it, you see I have basketball practice later and I really can't go to the class. But since you would still be here because of your meeting then we would be finish at the same time!" he said smiling. It seemed he had really thought this out.  
  
"I don't have a choice do I?" she asked blushing at the thought that she would be alone with Shiro Tanada that afternoon.  
  
"Besides you still owe me one." He said suddenly.  
  
"Owe you one for what?" she said suddenly confused.  
  
"Well I did let you borrow my shirt." He smiled, she suddenly exploded.  
  
"Owe you one? Owe you one? That entire mess was your frigging fault you useless piece of shit!" she blurted out before she could stop herself.  
  
"Cool I knew I could rely on you! So I guess I'll meet you outside the student council office? Great!" he said waving goodbye. Misao had the sinking feeling that either Tanada was possessed when he lent her his shirt or that was temporary insanity. Because there was no way this Tanada would be that nice to her.  
  
***  
  
"Hey Sagara." Tsubame said looking at her friend.  
  
"Yeah?" Yahiko asked stuffing his face with the cookies she brought.  
  
"Does Sano-kun go out with all of those girls that hang around him all the time?" she asked looking at Sano's table, which was currently surrounded with cheerleaders in their tiny skirts, giggling at anything he said.   
  
"Yeah, you should see how many of them call at the house! We had to get him his own line!" he said finishing Tsubame's mashed potatoes when she wasn't looking.   
  
"Did anyone of them ever become his girlfriend?" she asked quietly.  
  
"What?" Yahiko asked leaning closer to her.  
  
"Did anyone of them ever become his girlfriend?" she blurted blushing furiously.  
  
"Nah, he's married to Tanada." He said going back to the cookies he was massacring. "They're always together. The only time he does go out with those girls is when Shiro is out of town or when he's not available."   
  
"Er is your brother gay?" she asked looking back at him and scowling at the empty bag.   
  
"Haha no I don't think so. Besides Sano may be notorious when it comes to breaking girls hearts but he's a real romantic. He tells me when the right one comes along he won't let her go." Yahiko chuckled.  
  
Tsubame looked back at the table still surrounded with girls and Sano still laughing in the middle and smiled.  
  
***  
  
"Chou! What did you do to my jello?" Kamatari screeched.   
  
"Yow!" Chou said picking his ear with his finger. "Didn't you ever go through puberty?"  
  
"Nobody touches my jello." He said his eyes narrowing. Suddenly his eyes brightened when Chou finally gave up the green jiggly bowl.   
  
"You are so weird."  
  
"Hwe shew nya." He said his words suspended in the green mush.  
  
"Hey Tomoe?" Tomoe looked over at Soujiro. "What else do we need for the meeting later?"   
  
"I already took care of everything." She smiled.  
  
"Student council huh?" Chou asked ignoring Kamatari who was now purring because of his prize.  
  
"Will you be joining us Aoshi?" she asked looking at him.  
  
"I have practice."   
  
"I'll just drop by later and brief you."   
  
"Why don't we just have dinner and you can tell me about it?" he said, the table suddenly became uncomfortable.  
  
"Ok I have to tell Enishi though that I won't be coming home with him." she said totally unaware of the looks her friends threw one another.  
  
"So how's the play Sou?" Chou asked breaking the awkwardness.  
  
"I can't seem to find my Psyche." He said sheepishly. "None of the girls are right."  
  
"Why don't you try the guys." He laughed.  
  
"I actually asked Kamatari to audition."   
  
"You've got to be kidding right?" Chou said looking back at his best friend.  
  
"Why not?" Soujiro smiled.  
  
"Don't give me that look Youjin!" Kamatari said raising his spoon.  
  
"I thought you were back on the team?" Aoshi asked.   
  
"Hey that's not for sure yet. I have yet to see what the team has to offer, besides I wanna try new stuff." He said quietly.  
  
"I think you'd love the theater." Soujiro said optimistically.  
  
"Yeah." He smiled back weakly.  
  
"Come on we'd better get back to class." Chou said changing the subject. All of them stood up, the crowd giving way.   
  
***  
  
Sano was making fun of Shiro, making the cheerleaders giggle and blush at the same time. He liked being the center of attention and although none of these girls really meant anything to him, he still had to live up to his reputation. He looked at each and everyone of them, all of them were worth looking at and although he had only gone out with each one once he never wanted to again.   
  
Those girls saw him as this varsity player, this jock that was extremely popular and would make them popular if ever they were to be his girlfriend. He didn't really matter to anyone of these girls. A basketball star and a cheerleader, it was a perfect match. But Sanosuke Sagara was much more than the basketball player, he was much more than a lady-killer. If only one of them could see who he really was, if only one of them really knew who he was.  
  
His eyes strayed from their faces full of make-up and fell to the small eyes of the girl sitting on the other end of the cafeteria. Tsubame suddenly blushed and dropped her gaze turning in her seat. From where he sat he could see her blushing furiously. She was so cute, little Tsubame…  
  
From the corner of his eye someone else caught his eye.   
  
Misao sat alone in her table playing with her potatoes. Her chemistry book was open in front of her but her eyes were elsewhere. Staring blankly at the now empty senior's table. She looked up just in time to catch Sano's eyes.  
  
He smiled at her and stuck his tongue out playfully, which she met with a look of disgust and a hasty retreat back to their room.  
  
***  
  
Misao sighed. She had been in love with Soujiro Seta since junior high. He lived two blocks away from her house and she would wake up early every morning just so she could wait for him in the corner. He would always ask her to walk with him. Always.  
  
But of course ever since high school started and he got his own car, the only time she could spend with him were in the council meetings and even then she wouldn't be able to speak to him. Sometimes he would offer her a ride home but she was always be too shy to accept his invitation, she would always decline. Even in the mornings he would offer but Misao's father always drove her to school.  
  
Soujiro was the nicest guy you could ever meet. He was polite, intelligent, charming and handsome to boot. Everything you ever wanted in a guy, which is why it didn't make sense that he never had a girlfriend and a ton of girls have tried.   
  
She wanted to get into Kainan for the single reason that he was there. She wanted to be part of the student council because he was. And if she weren't deathly afraid of the stage she would have signed up for the drama club as well. Soujiro Seta was her entire life and it was funny to think that he just really looked upon her as a sister.   
  
She remembered watching him play the prince in every school play. He was always the prince. She always wondered how it would feel like to be the one in his arms, to be the one he would swear his love to.  
  
Next year he would leave. He told her he was going to study in England. Four years she would have to live her life without him and already she was missing him.  
  
"Oh hey Misao!" he smiled waving at her. Misao was brought out of her reverie, in her reminiscing she had found herself on the wrong floor, the entire senior class around her, Soujiro standing there smiling at her.  
  
"Upperclassman Seta!" she shrieked.  
  
"I told you stop calling me that!" he frowned. "Er what are you doing here?"   
  
"Uh…er…" think Misao think! She fidgeted as Soujiro's other friends turned to look at her. Something about the meeting later! Something about his house! Anything! "Uh the meeting?"  
  
"What about it?" he asked.   
  
What about it? What about the stupid meeting! Say something. Think happy thoughts. Think happy thoughts.  
  
"Happy thoughts!"  
  
"Misao are you ok?"   
  
"Makimachi! Great! Listen could you photocopy these hand-outs for the meeting later? I would do it myself but our class is already starting." Tomoe said from behind him.  
  
"Sure Tomoe." She smiled taking the paper from her hand heaving a sigh of relief.   
  
"Think of an excuse next time." she winked before turning around.   
  
"Thanks boss." She called after her.   
  
***  
  
The light of the photocopier kept going across her face as she stared mesmerized by it. It was study period and she had gone to make copies of the hand-out like Tomoe had asked. She sighed, how was she going to tell him how she felt? How was she going to tell him she had been secretly in love with him for the last six years? Somehow she knew he would never return her feelings. Somehow in the back of her mind she was always aware of the wall separating them. Somehow she knew she would never own his heart.  
  
I promised myself I would tell him. That was four years ago. Every morning I watch him drive away in his car, each moment I spend with him in the council meetings I just want to say it. Even if I know he wouldn't say it back…  
  
"Hey mouse hair." He greeted her. She just kept staring at the light going back and forth back and forth…"It's called a machine."  
  
"Aw fuck of Sagara." She sighed.  
  
"What? No harsh words? No insults? I am completely freaked out by your behavior o queen of sucking up." He said putting his hand over his chest in mock surprise.  
  
"Some of us actually have deeper things to ponder than how to cheat off Kamiya's test!" she said seriously.  
  
"There you are my little queen of evil! You really had me scared for a moment there…wait a minute, deeper things to ponder? You mean there is actually a brain in there and not just a sucking mechanism?" he grinned.  
  
"Sagara please not today." She whispered suddenly tired. She looked out of the window, her heart still breaking.  
  
Sano looked at her; that was unusual for Makimachi. She would never let an insult go unanswered. But something about the way her eyes seemed lost, how her sigh seemed pained made him stop. He just watched the light go back and forth, back and forth and suffocated in the silence between them.   
  
***  
  
Shiro looked out of the classroom. The rain had begun to fall. School was almost over but he still had two hours of practice ahead of him, he sighed. He just spent the good part of an hour answering his chemistry homework and suddenly he had to get out.  
  
He looked around the classroom and realized Sano and Misao were missing, he just shrugged put his arms in his pockets and walked out of study period.  
  
***  
  
"Tanada that fag." Sano muttered looking out of the window as Misao gathered the photocopied handouts. "Look at him."  
  
Misao turned to the window seeing Shiro alone on the courtyard, his face turned up letting the rain wash over him. She smiled Shiro was cute in a way.   
  
"What is he doing?" she asked his best friend.  
  
"I dunno its just one of the strange things he does. Creepy bastard."  
  
"He better get inside or he'll get sick." She commented.  
  
"Yo fairy!" Sano called out of the second floor window. Misao just shook her head, she should have expected that he would start a conversation with is friend two floors down and disturb the entire school. "Get outta the rain you stupid git! The suck up here is beginning to worry!"   
  
She blushed at his second statement and turned away from the window just as Shiro looked in their direction but Sano was holding the scruff of her uniform. Shiro smiled at them and proceeded to walk farther away.  
  
"That idiot." Sano shrugged letting go of the struggling Misao.   
  
Shiro kept walking in the rain, splashing in the puddles. He stopped when he reached the outside basketball court. He looked at the ring, watching the rain gather in the knots of the net and fall to the floor. Suddenly he couldn't feel the rain on his back anymore.  
  
"You are by far the strangest person I have ever met." Sano said placing the umbrella he had over their heads.   
  
"The rain is good for you." Shiro smiled.  
  
"Having weasel for dinner isn't."   
  
***  
  
"Listen I have the funds from last year's council and it doesn't look good. We can still sponsor the welcome party for the freshmen two weeks from now but that's it. We need to make a fundraiser to be able to have the Christmas party and Farewell ball. And we need to start making money right away." Soujiro said as he took another look in his notebook.  
  
"Do you guys have any suggestions?" Tomoe asked.  
  
"What about a bake sale?" Misao chirped. The council groaned.   
  
"Ok what about a play?"  
  
"A fair?"  
  
"A concert?"   
  
"Oh I know I know!" she jumped up and down raising her hand.   
  
"Yes?" Tomoe asked.  
  
"An auction!" A hushed silence fell over the presidents of each class, Misao began to think she had said something wrong, suddenly a great uproar rose as everyone agreed and auction was the best idea.  
  
"We can auction off a date with the basketball team!" Soujiro smiled.  
  
"Or one of the new teachers." One sophomore added. Tomoe smiled at the enthusiasm everyone was showing.   
  
"Does everyone agree with that?" she asked and everyone nodded. "Ok, now let's work out the details for the freshman night first."   
  
"Good work Misao." Soujiro whispered as he passed by her on his way to the black board. She smiled as if she had just won the lottery.   
  
***  
  
Remedial classes consisted of Kaoru not taking her eyes off Mr. Himura, Enishi scowling and ten other people looking completely lost.   
  
"You guys still don't get it do you?" he asked exasperated, the class collectively shook their heads mournfully.  
  
"All you have to do is make sure that the moles of the elements on this side of the reaction equals the number of moles of the same elements on the other side. If there are six moles of Hydrogen then there should be six moles of hydrogen on the other side."  
  
"Its very easy, come on guys!" he said begging them to show some sign they weren't completely hopeless. "Ok I guess that's it for now." he muttered defeated dusting his hands.   
  
The students began filing out of the classroom and he began fixing his things. Kaoru smiled as she passed by and Enishi didn't even look at him. He sighed, he just wanted to go home and take a bath and go to sleep until Christmas.  
  
***  
  
"So you guys done?" Aoshi said peeking inside the classroom. Tomoe and Soujiro were the only ones left, they were talking and stopped when Aoshi stuck his head in.  
  
"Yep." Tomoe said motioning for him to join them.  
  
"So what did you guys talk about?" he asked sitting beside Tomoe.   
  
"We decided to auction off a date with the basketball team." Soujiro smiled.  
  
"Yikes." He said, although the lack of emotion on his face made the expression seem strange. "I sure hope I won't be included."  
  
"You're out of luck Shinomori, we might pass a survey form, who the students would like to have a date with. The ones with the most votes are on the auctioning block." She winked at him.  
  
"Geez couldn't you guys have thought of a less painful fundraiser?" he said knowing full well that his name would be on that list.  
  
"Take one for the team Shinomori." Soujiro laughed.   
  
"I'm famished could we eat now?" he said standing up. "Care to join us Seta?"  
  
"No I just stayed behind to keep Tomoe company."  
  
"Are you sure?" she asked.  
  
"Yeah I'm really tired and I have to start budgeting the money for the Frosh night." He said waving to them as he left the classroom.   
  
"Thanks Sou." She called.  
  
"Where do you want to eat?" he asked as they got into his car.  
  
"I don't know wherever you want to go." she said looking out of the window.  
  
"If you're tired we can just go home."  
  
"Nah, lets go out." She sighed smiling at him.   
  
***  
  
"Why does Sano keep calling you gay?" She asked turning to look at her companion. Shiro had come by just as the meeting finished up but for some strange reason he didn't want to do the homework at home, instead here they were by the river trying to catch the last rays of sunlight and squinting in the meager light of Shiro's flashlight.  
  
"Well it's just his way of showing you he cares." Shiro said concentrating on the problems.  
  
"I think it's mean." She pouted stretching. "Listen Tanada, we won't get anything done this way. I don't want to go blind."  
  
"Yeah I guess you're right." He said giving up.   
  
"So you wanna go to my house and finish up?" she asked looking at him.  
  
"Nah, I'll just walk you home. I'll finish the rest at home." He said motioning for her to start walking.  
  
"You know I never thought you'd be so…" she started.  
  
"What?"  
  
"Nice?" she said sheepishly.  
  
"Yeah there's a lot of things you don't know about us. If you actually took time to notice the class you would find that out." He said lazily.  
  
"Are you saying I don't care about the class?" she said offended.   
  
"No I am saying you care too much about the class that you're not really part of it. The class is nothing but a responsibility for you." she bristled, no one had been bold enough to tell her this outright.  
  
"Well you don't get teased by everyone every single bloody day now do you?" she said in her defense.  
  
"Don't get mad Misao. I'm just saying take time out from your busy schedule and try to actually get to know the class and you'll see they're not just a bunch of jerks." He said. She stopped, he had never called her by her first name before.  
  
"Er Tanada?" she called not really brave enough to call him by his first name. "This is my stop."   
  
"Oh ok, see ya." He said nonchalantly. He waved at her over his shoulder and continued walking. Suddenly the Tanada she knew settled back in his manner. The new Tanada, the one that was nice and spoke his mind suddenly disappeared.   
  
She then decided that she liked the new Tanada better.  
  
"Mr. Tanada." A gruff male voice called from the corner. Misao started to get nervous, he didn't look like he was trying to make friends, she was about to call out to Shiro when he suddenly draped his arm around the man.  
  
"How long have you been following me?" he asked smiling.  
  
"We've been looking for you for an hour sir. You didn't bring your car or your cellphone. You were supposed to be at home an hour ago."  
  
"Don't have a heart attack I'm here now aren't I?" he said lazily. He turned back at her and suddenly looked disappointed when he saw her still standing there. He smiled back at her weakly and got into the waiting black car.  
  
***  
  
"So Kamatari shows up right, wearing this I dunno what it was but if I didn't know he was a guy I would've whistled." He laughed, "You should have seen Coach Makoto I thought he would have a heart attack!"  
  
Tomoe smiled, Aoshi had rare moments like these where he would laugh his heart out. Aoshi was serious this was a fact not an opinion, a fact based on years and years of spending time with him. To someone who didn't know him, this would sound dull but in truth it wasn't, it was comfortable and she liked the way he came out of his shell, even for just a couple of hours every week.  
  
"Good thing Mr. Himura was there to help out. I could've sworn coach was about to call Tari Homo." He chuckled.  
  
"Mr. Himura? He coaches now?" she asked.  
  
"Well no, he just helps out. If you ask me he's just there to keep Coach Makoto from screaming every time Tari sneaks up behind him."   
  
"And of course Tari does that every chance he gets?" she asked and Aoshi nodded.   
  
"Yeah too bad Tari just joined this year, it would've been a hoot to see this every practice."   
  
"Is he behaving himself?"  
  
"Aside from harassing the coach and draping himself all over Mr. Himura, yeah I guess he is."   
  
"Poor Mr. Himura." She sighed. Aoshi suddenly stopped eating and looked at her.  
  
"Tomoe." He started. She looked back at him. "I…well you see I…" he stammered.  
  
"What's the matter Aoshi?" she asked. "I never heard you stutter before."  
  
"It's just that there's this friend and well…ah never mind."  
  
"Come on what is it?" she said leaning her chin on her hand.   
  
"It's just sometimes its so hard to talk to someone about some things and yet you could share your entire life with her." he said returning to his seriousness.  
  
"You can tell me Aoshi." She said reaching over and patting his hand.  
  
"That's just it. I can't." he said defeated.  
  
"Maybe when you're ready you will." She said suddenly uneasy. They fell silent then finishing what was left of their dinner.   
  
"Aoshi?" he looked up at her when he dropped her off at her house. "Laugh more, you look handsome when you laugh." She smiled before closing the door of his car.  
  
***  
  
Misao shuffled the papers on her desk, putting her homework in order. Her mind raced back to the man and the black car. That was strange.  
  
She stopped, Shiro's homework had been mixed in with her own. She smiled at his childish lazy scrawl, somehow even his handwriting mirrored the Tanada she knew in class.  
  
"Hey wait a minute." She said looking it over. "He was finish? He already had it done?"   
  
Again she made sure all numbers had been answered, not only answered but done very well. He even got some questions she didn't know. Her confusion to why he still asked for her help when it was very evident he did not need it suddenly was pushed back in her mind as she realized that Shiro Tanada was more than the stupid jock she had thought him to be.  
  
"Get to know them huh Tanada?" she smiled remembering what he said.  
  
*** 


	7. Ep 7: Froshie Night

Ep. 7: Froshie Night  
  
***  
  
"Now remember all you cute freshmen! Tonight's your night! Bring a date, bring your family but remember to have a good time!" Misao announced over the intercom.   
  
"Now get out you lousy kids!" Principal Saito suddenly cut in.  
  
"Geez what a grouch!" Misao's voice could be heard in the background.  
  
"If one of you doesn't go to that stupid party, I'll kick you all out!" he said before turning off the mic. The entire first floor suddenly trembled and one girl ran out crying.  
  
***   
  
"Principal Saito?" Tomoe asked knocking on his door and waving to Misao as she stepped out.  
  
"Yes Ms. Yukishiro?" he greeted her, motioning for her to enter the room.  
  
"Uhm I came by to ask about the project proposal?" she said.  
  
"Ah down to business huh? No hi, hello how are you Principal Saito?" he smiled.  
  
"Hi, hello how are you Principal Saito?" she smiled, she never understood why he was nice to her, he was nasty to everyone else but when it came to her, Hajime Saito was always pleasant.  
  
"Oh yeah the auction, hmm well I guess its ok so long as you make a waiver that each person to be auctioned off will sign and the school gets 50% of the profits."  
  
"Sir!"  
  
"I'm joking, of course you can use all the revenues for the Christmas Party."  
  
He made a joke? She shivered.  
  
"Great! Thank you sir." She was about to leave.  
  
"Of course you need one of the faculty to supervise." She stopped dead in her tracks, I hope to god he's not talking about himself.  
  
"Hmm one senior and one junior teacher should be appropriate don't you think?"  
  
"Er sir I think we can manage on our own." She breathed a sigh of relief.  
  
"What do you think of Mr. Himura and Ms. Komagata?" he asked.  
  
"Uhm Mr. Himura is already helping out the basketball team."  
  
"Yeah I know he is." He said nodding his head.  
  
"Wouldn't that be too much work?"  
  
"There is no such thing as too much work." He smiled. "My policy is, work them to the bone and if they come back, work them harder."  
  
"Sir?" she asked in disbelief.  
  
"Anyway I'll go inform them."  
  
"Sir..."  
  
"Yes?"  
  
"What about one of the other teachers instead?" she asked horrified at the working conditions of the teachers in the school.  
  
"Nah, Himura is my golden boy right now. He's my favorite." He said signaling for her to leave.  
  
Tomoe left the principal's office shaking her head.  
  
***  
  
"Hey guys wouldn't it be great if we all went and really spent the night together?" Misao said as she returned to her classroom, a collective groan rose from the class. "Since Principal Saito will force us all to go anyway why not make the best of it?"  
  
"Your enthusiasm astounds me Misao." Sano said leaning back in his chair and yawning.  
  
"I'm serious, we're graduating next year lets have at least one night that we enjoyed each other's company huh?"  
  
"Depends are you going to be there?" Tanada but in.  
  
"Very funny Tanada, come on what do you guys say? Just one night? It'll be fun we could bond!"  
  
"I think it's a good idea, I think I'm going to be there as well." Kenshin agreed. "Could we all promise not to be sourpusses?" nobody answered, every brow was furrowed.   
  
"I won't give homework for the whole of next week."  
  
"Hell yeah!" a cheer started going. Misao returned to her seat before sitting down however she spared a glance at Shiro, they hadn't spoken since last Friday. She had just handed him his homework she didn't ask why he had done them already or who those people were or if he had a split personality.   
  
Shiro smiled a small one and she smiled. Just then the bell rang.  
  
"Alright with that ends homeroom and thus begins Chem. Now lets start this Friday right!" suddenly everyone became apprehensive.  
  
"Lets do some problems."  
  
"I knew it! I knew it!" Shiro said clenching his fists for emphasis. "When does the hurting stop Mr. Himura?"  
  
"From the looks of it it's just going to get a lot worse."  
  
"Thanks a lot Tanada!" with that he received his usual rain of paper balls.   
  
"Ahhh my day is now complete." He said afterwards.  
  
***  
  
He watched Kamatari steal the ball from the other court and reach the free throw line in two seconds, faking a left and getting past Sano, he passed it to Aoshi who took a step back and shot it just beyond the three-point line. Man he was amazing.   
  
"Great play!" Shishio said clapping his hands, unashamed of showing his admiration.  
  
"Don't fall in love with me coach." Kamatari said blowing him a kiss.  
  
"Why does he keep doing that?" Shishio shuddered.   
  
"Coz you keep breaking down everytime." Kenshin said.   
  
"Hey coach can we leave now?" Tari said sitting down on the bench and winking at the other players who prudently moved away.   
  
"What's the rush Sagara?" he said wanting to try out one more play.  
  
"Coz Yahiko has to meet up with his girlfriend." Shiro said.  
  
"Hey!" Yahiko shouted from the other side of the gym.  
  
"What?"  
  
"Yeah Makoto, its Freshman night. We should have been there half an hour ago." Kenshin said looking at the team.  
  
"We were?"  
  
"We're chaperoning?"  
  
"Yeah come on coach!" Shiro muttered from somewhere on the floor. "Yahiko still has to put on cologne."  
  
"Hey!" Yahiko shouted kicking Shiro's foot.  
  
"Why you.." they began chasing each other around the court.  
  
"I don't know..."  
  
"I saw Miss Komagata and boy did she look fine." Chou said looking at the coach from the corner of his eye.   
  
"Ok I guess it won't hurt." Shishio said starry eyed.  
  
"heh Works every time." Chou said gathering his stuff. ***  
  
"Oh Himura can I speak to you for a moment?" Saito said stopping Kenshin on his way to the football field.  
  
"Yes sir?"  
  
"I'm looking for someone to supervise the student council fundraiser." He said.  
  
"Er who are you suggesting sir?" Kenshin asked hoping to the high heavens that it wasn't him.  
  
"Guess."  
  
"When and where do I report?" he sighed.  
  
"Oh just coordinate with Ms. Yukishiro and Ms. Komagata." He smiled walking away from him.  
  
"Aren't you going to the dance sir?"  
  
"I'm not going to spend a second of my free time with those kids, I already spend most of my time here in school." He said not turning to look at him. Kenshin wondered how Principal Saito ever got his job.  
  
*** The football field was just beautiful. The student council had decided to throw a luau, there were torches lighting the field and little paper lanterns shaped like flowers were hung on clotheslines across the entire dance area. You could smell the barbecue from where he was standing.   
  
They were supposed to dress up in Hawaiian shirts but he really didn't care, he just came by to give Yahiko a lift since Kamatari had another thing to go to.   
  
"Man this would sure be less painful if they were serving beer." He said walking toward the lights rolling his eyes at the Bob Marley music.  
  
"Hey Sano!" Enishi said as he walked over to them. "What took you so long? Why aren't you in Hawaiian?"  
  
"I fell asleep in the locker room." Sano said taking Kaoru's drink and finishing it.  
  
"Hey!" She said grabbing it but it was too late.  
  
"I'll get you a new one." Enishi volunteered leaving the two of them.  
  
"Aww isn't that sweet?" Sano said sitting on a one of the chairs.   
  
"Hey guys come on let's join the games!" Misao said coming over to them.   
  
"Buzz of Makimachi." Sano muttered.  
  
"Hey Misao who won Frosh king and queen?" Kaoru said motioning for her to sit beside her.  
  
"Well it's a secret. Besides they're about to announce it anyway." She pointed at the stage.  
  
"Hey guys." Soujiro smiled as he called the attention of the gathering. "So to draw all the boring traditions to a close we will now announce Frosh king and queen, these two were voted on by the upperclassmen who are here. And well they don't really win anything just the distinction that they're the cutest of their batch and they get to be embarrassed as they come up here. So without further ado..."   
  
Tomoe handed him a little paper. "Frosh king is...Yahiko Sagara!" he announced. Yahiko turned a nice shade of red and had to be dragged to the stage where he was given a crown made of flowers.  
  
"So how do you feel Yahiko?" Soujiro asked smiling.  
  
"Stupid." He said glaring at the crowd.  
  
"Ah smile you, you just won a dance with the Frosh queen, so Tomoe?"  
  
"The prettiest freshman here tonight is none other than, Ms. Tsubame Kitano." She said clapping her hands. Tsubame came up to the stage, she had on a white shirt and a blue and white flower printed sarong, in her hair was a pink gumamela, she was turning pink herself.  
  
"Aren't you pretty?" Soujiro said teasing the younger girl. She was crowned with flowers and had to dance with Yahiko.  
  
"This is weird." She whispered over to him.  
  
"Yeah, just don't step on my feet." He muttered.  
  
Across the dance floor Sano watched as his little brother danced with the pretties freshman. She's all grown up. He smiled.  
  
***  
  
It was his last year in junior high, he was already accepted to Kainan where Kamatari was studying and he couldn't wait to try out for varsity. He had always loved playing basketball, ever since their first game in the backyard with their father, he had never stopped playing.   
  
Sure he was sad because he was going to leave his junior high team but since his two best friends were also going to Kainan it wouldn't be much of a difference. Kainan was the best, he could still remember watching them in the nationals. Ever since he saw the blue and white of Kainan he knew he didn't want to wear anything else.   
  
He just came out of practice really sore and in a bad mood because Enishi and Shiro would be out of town for the weekend and he didn't have anyone to hang out with. From the looks of it he would have to spend his Friday night baby-sitting Yahiko and his six-grader friends.  
  
"Hey Sano-kun." Tsubame waved as he came closer to the two of them.  
  
"It took you long enough." Yahiko griped as he got up from his school bag.  
  
"Hey Tsubame-chan, so you're going home with Yahiko today huh? Yahiko you lucky dog." He chuckled, he laughed even harder when he saw the bewildered looks on both of their faces.  
  
"Come on before I pollute your minds even further." He said shouldering his gym bag and taking Tsubame's backpack as well.  
  
"Oh I can do it Sano-kun." She said pulling it off his shoulder.   
  
"Nah I need it for endurance." He smiled.  
  
"Would you like my bag too Oniichan?" Yahiko smiled.  
  
"Shut up squirt." He said walking. "Where's the rest I thought the house would be screaming with six graders tonight?"   
  
"Nah the guys got detention."   
  
"I'm surprised you didn't." He laughed.  
  
"Hey!" Yahiko pouted dragging his bag. "Why couldn't Tari pick us up?" he whined.  
  
"He's got basketball practice. You want to wait up till nine?" Sano said crossing the street to the train station.  
  
"Why couldn't you take dad's spare car?"   
  
"And get in trouble?" he said paying the cashier for their tickets. "You can take it for a drive inside the village only and for short distances." He said mimicking their father.  
  
"This sucks." Yahiko pouted.  
  
"You wanna walk punk?" he said holding Yahiko's ticket above his head. "I'll take Tsubame-chan here on a date and we'll just see you at home." Somewhere in the back Tsubame blushed.  
  
"Let's just go Sano." Yahiko said crossing his arms.  
  
***  
  
"So what do you want to do?" he asked sitting back on the sofa.  
  
"Well I don't know." she smiled looking around the house.  
  
"Wanna play video games?"   
  
"Yeah sure." They were just about to plug in the play station when Sano came into the living room.  
  
"Wanna play Sano-kun?" Tsubame asked smiling.  
  
"Nah I'd probably beat Yahiko anyway." He smiled lying on the sofa.  
  
"Hey!" Yahiko said looking back at him.   
  
"By the way what time is it?" he asked.  
  
"Around eight." She obliged.  
  
"I know! Let's just get pizza and watch a movie!"   
  
"Yeah!" she said jumping up.  
  
"I don't know Tsubame has to get home..."  
  
"I'll call your mom on the way."  
  
***  
  
"Revenge of the Nerds part two or Ace Ventura when nature calls, you decide." Sano smiled at the younger girl.  
  
"Whatever Sano-kun." She smiled back at him. She was holding the coke six pack they had bought and Yahiko was standing by the counter with the pizza.   
  
"What about you?" he called over to his younger brother.  
  
"I don't care." He muttered.  
  
"The detective it is." He chuckled bringing it to the counter where a girl from their school let him rent it for free. "Heh being in the varsity has some extra added bonuses eh?" he winked at Tsubame.  
  
He didn't have to stay home and baby-sit them, they were old enough and Yahiko kept telling him of this fact. But he didn't have any plans and he wanted to get his mind off school and the best possible way to do that was to annoy his baby brother to death.  
  
***  
  
He sighed contentedly as the credits began to roll. He loved that movie and the two hours worth of laughs made him feel at ease. He groaned as he kicked the empty pizza box away from him.  
  
"That was great huh?" he asked his companions but all he got was silence. Tsubame was asleep beside him, her drool creating a little wet spot on his shirtsleeve, Yahiko was curled up on the floor. He hadn't notice how long the movie had run, he looked at the clock it was past 11.  
  
He got up and stretched. "Looks like my date fell asleep on me." he smiled taking the car keys from the table and picking up Tsubame. She stirred a little murmuring something incoherent.  
  
Sano smiled. "If you weren't so small, we could have been great together." He whispered to the child in his arms.  
  
***  
  
He smiled at the memory and was brought out of it by Shiro's arrival.   
  
"Hey Tanada!" Misao called. "What took you so long? Your date was getting lonely!" she pointed at Sano.  
  
"Oh good one Makimachi. How original." Sano guffawed. Shiro looked at the two and silently walked away, heading towards the refreshments table. "Look at that pig, directly to the food he goes."  
  
Misao looked at Shiro uncertain. He seemed distracted, more than usual. She followed him, wanting to talk to him. "Hey, what's up?"  
  
"Hmm?" he asked getting a cup of punch.  
  
"You seem stranger than usual."  
  
"Why do you suddenly care Makimachi?" he asked grinning.  
  
"Well sorry! You're the one that told me to get to know the class more!" she huffed walking away. She stopped in her tracks, no retort? No come back? Something must really be up.  
  
"Shiro?" She said softly, unaccustomed to saying his first name. He turned around raising his eyebrow at her. "Are you ok?"  
  
"My parents are splitting up." He said evenly, looking away when he finished. Misao looked at his profile. She wanted to offer him consolation but they weren't really close. The only time they spent together was that time they did their homework together. And suddenly Shiro Tanada became even more complex. More than she could understand. And so she decided to leave it at that. Sure she wanted to ask him why he was so different out of school. Why he treated her so differently when they were alone. But she decided that that was just who he was, and he had to deal with bigger problems than her stupid perception of him.  
  
She couldn't understand him, maybe it was better she didn't. She had hoped they could become friends but then again they were so different from each other. How could they ever become friends?  
  
"I'm sorry to hear that." She said before turning around.  
  
"Makimachi." He called. She turned around and looked at him. "Can we keep..."  
  
"I won't say a word." She smiled.  
  
"Thanks."  
  
*** 


	8. Ep 8: The Drama Club

===

Ep. 8: The Drama Club

===

"Tari! Today's the audition." Soujiro said greeting him as he came in the classroom.

"Audition for what?" he asked with a mouthful of corn flakes, suddenly he wanted to bite his own tongue as he saw Soujiro's face fell.

"The play." He said disappointed.

"Oh" he had been so occupied with varsity practice that it had completely slipped his mind. "Yeah I'll be there." He answered, in truth he never really considered going but the look on Soujiro's face would have made him agree to chop his right arm off if just to make him smile again.

He smiled instantly.

Kamatari looked at his friend. He never really could understand why he looked so childlike. No matter what he did he would always look like a child, just as he would always look like a girl. _A good looking girl_ he corrected himself.

===

1700

"Ok we're going to have the auditions for Cupid first." Soujiro said looking at the script. He looked back up and caught Kamatari enter the room. He smiled at his friend and continued. "I'll give you guys a few minutes to rehearse your lines."

"Hey Tari!" he said coming closer.

"Hey." He smiled eyeing the boys that were suddenly uncomfortable. "Oh don't give me that! Of all people I thought you theatre guys would understand me the most!"

"Hey what are you insinuating!" the boys suddenly shouted defensively, trying but failing to put on a macho pose.

"If that's the best acting they can do then your club's in big trouble." He whispered to Soujiro who just smiled at him. "Listen I don't know what I am doing here I should just go."

"Nonsense! Here's your script what role would you like audition for?" he asked.

"Er the guy one?" he said unsure.

"Haha no offense Tari but I think you would do a better job playing Psyche." He said.

"But"

"Come on lets face it, you're prettier than most of the girls here." He winked before going to the front once more.

Kamatari looked at the script he was holding.

Psyche = the most beautiful girl on the face of the earth, making even Venus the goddess of beauty jealous

===

"Er Mister Himura?" a knock came from the door.

"Yes?" he asked looking at the direction of the voice. Tomoe Yukishiro entered the room smiling at him. "Ms. Yukishirohow can I help you?"

"I just wanted to know if you would help us out." She said going over to the table. "We need to raise funds for the Christmas party."

"Oh yeah principal Saito already informed me." He gave a pained smile. "What is it going to be? A bake sale?"

"Principal Saito and I have already discussed it, it isn't official yet but he has approved it." she said evading the question.

"Great? So it's a bake sale?" he said already picking a recipe he wanted to do.

"Not exactly." She said handing him a piece of paper. "We'll just send the rest of the details later." She said leaving the room at once.

Kenshin watched her leave, confused at her actions. He scanned the paper, it was just a project proposal, outlining the purpose of the fund raiser, the resources needed

"A DATE?"

Tomoe smiled as she turned the corner.

===

"Oh but to behold such beauty. My heart bleeds knowing that dost end my hands should bring."

Kamatari watched as Soujiro began his lines. He could not understand why he had to audition. It was obvious he was going to get the part.

Tari sighed, he really didn't want to be here. _The things I do for friends! And for family for that matter! What the hell am I doing? I'm not mother Theresa maybe I can still get out of this._

"Tari we're auditioning Psyche next, are you ready?" Soujiro asked bringing him out of his reverie.

"Um hey I don't think I can do this." He said his nervousness appearing once more.

"Don't be silly of course you can. I'll help you through it if you want."

"Yeah that would be great."

"Next for Psyche?" the panel asked the people gathered. "Kamatari are you next?"

"But Kamatari's a guy." One of the girls protested.

"Doesn't look like it."

"Hey lets just give him a chance. It could be like the No Theater where all the girls are boys." Soujiro said in his defense.

"Ok so let him audition already." The same girl taunted.

"I'll read with him." Soujiro said jumping over the table and sitting across Tari.

"Hey maybe I shouldn't"

"Oh don't let Omasu get to you. She hates anyone that might get the female lead aside from her." He said leaning closer. "To tell you the truth she's as talented as a doornail." Kamatari laughed then.

"Could I at least go last?" he asked and Soujiro smiled.

"Don't be nervous ok." One last tip.

===

"Can you not see I love you."

"But you did not heed my warning."

"I was wrong. I let my heart be poisoned by jealous words and forget just how happy I was with you. You are my happiness beloved I cannot imagine living this life without you." he whispered looking him in the eyes. Suddenly the entire room burst in applause.

"Looks like we got our leads." One of the officers smiled as he congratulated both of them. Kamatari's face suddenly turned red, the realization that he would be onstage in a dress panicking him.

"Wait" he whispered weakly.

"No way! Kamatari Sagara can't be Psyche! He's a guy for crying out loud! Do you want the entire school to be scandalized?" Omasu butt in.

"Yeah I don't want you guys to get in trouble." Tari said.

"We can do it like Soujiro suggested, in the tradition of the No theater."

"But then all the actors would be guys." She contradicted.

"So? There are only two female parts in this play there won't be enough parts for all our female members."

"What? We'll be the laughing stock of the entire school! Having a freak for a lead!" she said outraged.

"Omasu." Soujiro who had been keeping quiet the entire conversation suddenly spoke out, a tone of warning in his voice. "Everyone got a chance to read for Psyche and Tari was just the best."

"Oh really? And does him being your friend not help him?" she said crossing her arms.

"I did not choose the part for him, the panel did." He said standing before Kamatari shielding him from Omasu. "If you have any complains about the drama clubs' panel of judges I suggest you take it up with them." Tari stuck his tongue out at her.

"This is stupid." She said storming out.

"Seta?" he said coming closer to his friend. "Listen I just came here as a favor to you, I never really wanted to get a part."

Soujiro looked back at him. "Do you really mean that?" he said suddenly sad. "Because I think you're perfect."

Tari blushed at the unintended compliment.

"But"

"Please Tari?" he said taking his hand.

"I might regret this for the rest of my life, but what the hell I'll do it." he breathed.

===

Misao looked over at Shiro. He was slouching in the back as usual, as if nothing was the matter. She wanted to go over to him and ask him if he wanted to talk about it. But then again it wasn't any of her business. But he looked so sadactually he didn't, he looked like he always did. But she knew something was wrong

She stood up, gathered enough courage to go over to him. And just as she was about to take a step closer

"Freeze scumbag!" Sano whispered in her ear poking two fingers at her back to simulate a gun. He grabbed her shirt collar and dragged her out to the corridor and into the broom closet.

__

Oh my god! He's going to take advantage of me! I saved myself for my darling Soujiro! No! No!

"You may take my body! But you'll never take my heart!" she said dramatically.

"Has your brain completely dissolved?" Sano hissed. "I know what you're trying to do Makimachi and I'm telling you don't."

"What?"

"He doesn't really need this right now." Sano finished.

She looked at his profile; she could just make out his features in the dim light. She knew he was talking about Tanada. Why was he forbidding her to go near him? What was it really between the two of them?

She looked away and realized there was something else she had wanted to know. And this might be less invasive than asking why Tanada and he were acting like a couple.

"Hey Sagara?" she asked tentatively. He raised his eyebrow at her.

"There were these men that picked him up the other day. They were in a black car"

"His bodyguards."

"WHAT?" she almost choked on her own words.

"Shiro is the heir to the Toriyama group of companies. His mother is Ayu Toriyama."

"The millionaire?"

"The billionaire. As of right now his net worth is two billion dollars."

"Wow. Is that why his parents are breaking up?"

"Shiro's dad was Ataru Tanada, the basketball player."

Misao's mind raced to the time she and her father had watched this tall handsome man play on the television. He suddenly quit after two years which was a shame since he was really good.

"Wasn't he injured or something."

"No. He was forced off the court."

"What? Why? Who?" Sano looked at her. He wanted to tell her more but it wasn't his place. Already he told her too much and kicked himself for it.

"Listen Makimachi. Don't try to help him, you'll only make it worse." He warned opening the door and walking out.

Misao looked around the corridor cautiously and stepped out. Two girls stopped dead in their tracks. Did they just witness Sanosuke Sagara step out of the broom closet with Makimachi?

===

"Oh wow half the basketball team is here." Soujiro whistled as the tallied results of the survey were returned.

"You're on it too." Tomoe pointed it out. "As well as Mr. Himura and Coach Makoto."

"This is gonna be some night." Soujiro said smiling.

"Hey this isn't fair shouldn't we be auctioning off the girls too?" Aoshi muttered seeing his name on the top of the list.

"No. That would be degrading for the women." Tomoe answered smiling.

"And it isn't for the men???" Aoshi said raising his eyebrow.

"No." she said matter of fact.

"Guess I can't buy myself out of this one huh?" he said resigning himself to his fate.

"Nope. You'd probably be the biggest draw." Soujiro laughed.

===

"Ok so its gonna be held next week in the auditorium. The HE club will make the dinner, the art club will decorate the stage. What should our starting bid be?" Soujiro asked taking note. "And where is Ms. Komagata?"

"Uhm let's just continue." Tomoe said looking over the plans.

"Sorry I'm late." Kenshin emerged looking sheepish. "Practice took longer since most of the guys are distracted."

"Yeah they're probably nervous about the auction." Soujiro laughed. "So the team's available?"

"I told coach Makoto about it. He's not too thrilled about being sold off as a piece of meat either."

"Hey Tomoe?" Soujiro looked over at her with an apologetic look on his face. "I really have to go over lines with Kamatari"

"Oh yeah the play!" she suddenly remembered. They had learned of their friend's new project that morning in the cafeteria, Chou wouldn't stop laughing. She wanted to laugh too but she saw that Soujiro was really excited about it as well.

"Ok you! Go run off and play." She smiled. "Me and Mr. Himura will finish this up."

"Thanks boss!" he waved sprinting out of the room.

"I thought there would be more of us." Kenshin thought out loud seeing as only the two of them were left in the room. The words SEXUAL HARASSMENT OF MINOR flashing through his mind.

"We already discussed this with the student council. This meeting was just to inform the teachers." Tomoe said scanning the papers on the desk.

"Guess Ms. Komagata didn't show huh?" he said sighing.

"Oh my I think I left the contracts in my desk. I better go get them so you could go over them before we give them to the auctionees." Tomoe said getting up.

She went up to the third floor and entered their classroom. She was about to leave when something moved in the teacher's desk.

"Coach Makoto!" she started. The Coach was draped on the table stroking lovingly the blackboard eraser. He was oblivious to the student now shaking her head. "Poor man."

She made her way back down to the student council's office and entered she was about to tell Mr. Himura about the coach when she saw him bent over the table, drool tricking our of his mouth.

__

Poor Mr. Himura. Principal Saito must really be working him to the bone.

She went over to her bag and took out her jacket draping it over the older man's shoulders. She looked at him sleeping quietly. From where she stood Kenshin looked no older than she was. She smiled; she too remembered when he used to play for Kainan.

She remembered watching him on the court, she was in junior high back then. Kenshin was her first crush, her first love actually although he never knew she existed. How odd it seemed that after all her girlish fantasies she would end up five inches away from the man that had first made her blush.

===

Aoshi stared into the rectangular glass window.

He went up there right after practice to see if Tomoe was ready to go.

He rested his forehead on the door. He hated this.

===


	9. Ep 9: Complications

===  
  
Ep. 9: Complications  
  
===  
  
"Hey you woman!" Enishi barged in at her door.  
  
"Hey stinky." She smiled looking up from her book calling him by the pet name she gave him.  
  
"Kaoru wanted to ask if I can be spared from the auction seeing as I have a girlfriend and all." He huffed falling on her bed.  
  
"Its nonnegotiable." She said returning to her book. "I'll talk to her if you want."  
  
"Nah its ok." He said watching her. "Hey oneechan?"  
  
"Yeah?" she looked over at him.  
  
"Next year you'll be leaving to go to college huh?" he said a little sad. He and Tomoe had always been together, they've never really been apart. She would always take care of him, washing his face before he went to bed. Making his bowl of cereal in the morning, always holding his hand so he wouldn't get lost as a child. Once he started to be taller than her he had decided he would be the one taking care of her which was why he was so protective of her. Now that she was leaving he was once again lost. He would be lost without her.  
  
"Why are you going to miss me huh?" she smiled pinching his nose.  
  
"NO! I can't wait for you to get out of the house so I can use the car." he swatted her hand away.  
  
"Hey Enishi?" she said being serious again. "Are you gonna come visit me once I start living in the dorm?"  
  
"Sure..." he smiled. "Hey can I stay here a while?"  
  
She smiled. They had always done their homework in her room. Enishi had stopped going there once he started junior high.  
  
Leaving him behind was going to be hard. She remembered that summer when she had to go to camp. He stood by the bus furiously rubbing his eyes so he wouldn't cry.  
  
Sometimes she hated her parents for never being around, for leaving her to take care of Enishi. But now that she thought about it she was thankful for the love that had grown between the two of them. Enishi had been her entire world. She would do anything for him.  
  
"Who will take care of you when I'm gone?" she asked quietly.  
  
"I can take care of myself!" he said blushing.  
  
"I don't think so..." she smiled.  
  
===  
  
"Wow I never thought acting could be so much fun!" Tari beamed walking out of the classroom they were rehearsing in.  
  
"You're not bad for a beginner. I think you're a natural actor!" Soujiro smiled.  
  
"Actresssssss..." he stressed.  
  
"Ah sorry, actress."  
  
"Anyway uhm Sou..." he started unsure.  
  
"Yeah Tari?" Soujiro asked not really paying attention, looking over the script.  
  
"Uhm the kiss..." Tari said blushing unable to look at his friend in the eye.  
  
"What?" Soujiro said looking at him.  
  
"There's a kiss in the end. I was wondering if we're still going to do that." He stopped.  
  
"We don't if you're uncomfortable with it."  
  
===  
  
"Did you hear? Sano and Makimachi were making out in the closet the other day..."  
  
"No way!"  
  
"I heard they had a secret affair! Ever since sophomore year!"  
  
"I heard they were childhood sweethearts!"  
  
"Aren't they engaged?"  
  
"That bitch!"  
  
Misao sat in her chair, adamant not to look at any of her classmates, her ears turning red. She had entered the school amid cold stares and hushed tones, which only signaled one thing, there was gossip about her. And she found out from none other than Soujiro himself. He asked her why she never told him about her relationship with Sano when they had been as close as siblings.  
  
This hit Misao like a ton of bricks, one that she could be associated with someone as uncouth as Sagara, two that it presupposes that they have been together a long time and three Soujiro had heard about it. Not to mention he reiterated to her that he looked upon her as nothing but a little sister. All she could do was shake her head and ran sobbing to the bathroom, where she promptly heard the rest of the rumors.  
  
Now she sat there waiting for the bell to ring so that the talk could finally die down. Somebody stopped in front of her table. She looked up and stared into Tanada's unreadable eyes. Then he stepped passed her and moved on to his chair at the end of the room.  
  
===  
  
Aoshi looked over at Tomoe. She was writing something in her notebook. His mind shifted to the other day, seeing her bent over a sleeping Himura with a fond look on her face.  
  
He sighed.  
  
===  
  
Sano entered the classroom late. Whispers began the moment he stepped into the door. Now this wasn't an unusual thing for him since he was used to the attention.  
  
"Ok what's the damage this time?" he asked sitting beside Shiro. To his surprise his friend wouldn't even look at him. "Hey Tanada didn't you hear me?"  
  
"Sano..." Kaoru said shaking her head.  
  
"What the hell is going on?" he said a little too loud.  
  
===  
  
"Is something wrong Aoshi?" Tomoe asked during recess.  
  
"Why do you ask?" he asked not really looking at her.  
  
"You seem different." She said concern on her face.  
  
"What do you mean? I'm fine." He said moving away from her. Being around her hurt too much. Of all the twelve years they've known it each other, today was the only day he didn't want to be with her.  
  
He thought she was pretty while she was holding a kitten in their neighborhood when they were six. He thought she was sweet when she would sit with Enishi during lunch when he first came to school. He thought she was smart when she beat him at their sixth grade spelling bee. He thought she was perfect when she laughed at his lame jokes. And he had fallen in love with her last year when one morning she sat down beside him and smiled. A smile that made him see her in a different light. A smile that was meant only for him.  
  
It was funny to think that of all the girls that were hounding him, the one he had to fall in love with was his best friend. This single fact prevented him from admitting to her his feelings. He wasn't sure if she felt the same way. So he contented himself with having her in the proximity, never really having her but it was better than nothing.  
  
He didn't want to lose her.  
  
===  
  
"Tanada..." Misao approached him after the classroom had almost emptied. She couldn't work up the nerve the entire day. The rumormongers were quick and vicious. She was so embarrassed to be caught up in such a scandal that for the first time in her life, she didn't know what to say.  
  
She thought Sano had already told him the truth but for some reason he didn't. Their usual banters in class were silenced since they weren't speaking to each other. Even Mr. Himura noticed and had asked her about it. And she knew either Mr. Himura was oblivious to the degree the faculty gossiped (which was worse than the study body) or he was not well liked. Which was a shame since he was such a nice guy...  
  
"You don't have to say it Makimachi." He said gathering his things and bringing her back to the topic at hand.  
  
"But you don't understand..."  
  
"My mother forced my father to marry her." He said suddenly. "She made my grandfather pay the owner of the team to terminate his contract, he paid off the other teams not to take him in. All because my mother decided she wanted to marry him. And my father lived the rest of his life miserable because of it."  
  
She couldn't speak. She wanted to tell him it was all lies, but hearing his story broke her heart.  
  
"I won't force anyone to love me." he said leaving.  
  
It took her a couple of seconds to get her voice back. All day she wanted to shout out 'IT'S NOT TRUE' and yet all she could do was whisper it to an empty room.  
  
===  
  
"Sano-kun?" He looked over to where the voice was coming from and saw Tsubame walking over to him with a pile of papers in her hand.  
  
"Hey Tsubame-chan."  
  
"Don't you have practice?" she asked confused.  
  
"I skipped it. Where are you going?" he asked pointing to the papers.  
  
"I have to put up these posters, class president duties." She smiled, her dimples showing.  
  
"I'll help you." he said getting up.  
  
"Oh no that's ok I can manage." She blushed, normally she wouldn't pass up an opportunity to be with Sano but ever since she started high school her feelings have changed. Somehow it became deeper than a crush and having him around just made her feel uncomfortable.  
  
"I'll help besides you might not be able to reach." He laughed patting her on the head.  
  
She sighed, was that all she'll ever be to him? A little sister?  
  
"Thanks Sano-kun too bad I never had a big brother like you." she started to walk.  
  
He stopped. Big brother, of course how could he forget? But watching her try to reach as high as him as they put up the posters and laugh at his stupid jokes, made him wish he could forget.  
  
"Why don't you have a boyfriend yet? You're so pretty!" he commented hearing the staple gun click. "I swear I think my baby brother might be gay not seeing you when you've always been in front of him." he stopped. He could've been talking about himself as well.  
  
"Me and Yahiko aren't like that." She said hesitantly. It never occurred to her that Yahiko might have feelings for her. He's always been there and she considered him her best friend but that was it. And yet she couldn't imagine being without him.  
  
"What about you Sano-kun? Why don't you ever settle for one girl?" she asked changing the topic.  
  
"Coz I haven't found anyone worth settling for." He said looking at her. She blushed. "Tsubame..."  
  
She stopped; he's never called her without adding the -chan in the end. It kept things informal between them.  
  
"You think you could ever fall for..."  
  
"Yahiko!" she blurted out. Down the corridor with an unreadable look in his eyes stood her best friend. He walked out of the door silently.  
  
===  
  
"Mr. Himura? About the contracts?" she asked entering the faculty room. She was stunned to see it was deserted.  
  
"Eh everyone bolts once the last period bell rings." He answered her confused look. "You think they were being caged or maltreated here with the way they run out of here every afternoon." He stopped, they were sorta caged AND maltreated.  
  
"Oh yeah." He leaned over his desk to take the folded jacket out of his drawer. "This belongs to you I presume."  
  
"Yes."  
  
"I'm really sorry about falling asleep. You should've woken me up."  
  
"You looked so peaceful and tired I decided not to." she said taking her jacket from him.  
  
"Anyway I've looked over the contracts and its ok mostly. Although you should put that they are under no obligation to have physical contact with the person that bought them. You know kisses and stuff?" he blushed handing her the contracts she had left beside his drooling head the afternoon before.  
  
"Ok." She smiled. He was so cute, he still blushed at things like that. "Anything else?"  
  
"Ah..." he stopped distracted for a moment as she tucked some of her hair behind her ears. My god she's beautiful!  
  
He hit himself on the head and told himself not to think like that! She was his student!  
  
She's just seventeen!  
  
"Uhm eighteen sir." Tomoe corrected him.  
  
Kenshin paled, was he thinking out loud again? "How much did I say?"  
  
"She's just seventeen." She repeated. "Don't worry we know about things like that." She said referring to what he said about kissing.  
  
Oh thank goodness for vague thoughts! He wanted to jump for joy at his unexpected save.  
  
"Well that's about it I guess."  
  
"Ok." She said placing the papers in her bag.  
  
"Ok I'll expect another draft this week." He said turning from her.  
  
"Why is it that sunsets all of a sudden seem sad?" she whispered absently looking out the window. "Or is it just you Mr. Himura?"  
  
He turned around to look at her, startled at her question.  
  
===  
  
Tsubame looked at the old pictures of her grade school. Almost all the time she and Yahiko were side by side.  
  
She laughed as she saw a photograph of her crying her eyes out with Yahiko beside her teasing her with a snake. She sighed.  
  
No matter what she would not hurt her best friend.  
  
=== 


	10. Ep 10: Letting go

Ep. 10: Letting Go

===

He spent the entire lunch break shooting hoops in the gym. He didn't really feel like being around her these past few days. He knew he didn't have a right to be jealous but that didn't mean it didn't hurt.

"Hey sweetheart whats up?" Tari smiled walking toward him jumping into his arms.

"Eh nothing's up." Aoshi said disposing of him on the gym's wooden floor.

"You've been avoiding us this entire week."

"I'm just not hungry lately." He said continuing his shooting.

"You should have told her." Tari said standing up and turning around.

"I can't." He said stopping. "I'll lose her."

"Would you rather just pretend you didn't love her?"

"We are free to do what we wish or love in the way we want to."

"So you throw love away?" Tari said looking at him. "Throw your chance away?"

"That's all it is anyway. A chance." He said picking up the basketball.

"You say that as if it's insignificant. You take for granted these things that for you seem trivial." he said turning his back on him. " You're lucky you even get a chance. What about me huh? People like me aren't even given a chance." He said walking out of the gym.

===

"Tomoe." Chou called from across the table. She looked up at him a worried look on her face. "Never mind it."

She smiled. She knew he was talking about Aoshi. He has been distant to them for the past couple of days and she was worried. Never had she seen him like this, she wanted to talk to him but there never seemed to be time. After class she had the auction to plan and he had practice, they reached the quarter finals of their area and practice were now more grueling,

She felt bad. She didn't want to see Aoshi like this.

"Hey groupies!" Tari smiled sitting down at the table. "Where's my jello?" he said looking around the table.

"So anyway I was thinking about cutting practice today." Chou began talking to the group. "My legs are so frigging tired!"

"Chou? Chou? Chou? Have you seen my jello? Huh? Huh?" Tari said pulling on his sleeve.

"I mean normally I wouldn't complain but my school work is suffering! I'm too tired to study after class!"

"Chou? Where's my jello?"

"So Tomoe how's you're auction going?" he asked.

"Everyone's just so busy." Tomoe answered distracted.

"Jello?"

"Yeah Sou you're busy with the play too huh? With this one also." He pointed to Tari.

"CHOU WHERE'S MY JELLO?" Tari screeched into his ears. Chou brought it out from under the table his right ear suddenly unable to detect any sounds.

"When is the play Sou?" Chou asked cleaning his ear with his pinky.

"Next week." Soujiro said looking up from his stage designs.

"You guys aren't gonna come are you?" Tari asked putting on his sad puppy dog eyes.

"You kidding I'm not gonna miss this for the world!" Chou hooted slapping his knee.

"Oh you suck Chou! Totally suck! You know how nervous I am and"

"Guys I better go ahead." Tomoe said getting up and walking back to the room.

"Did you talk to him?" Chou asked when Tomoe had already left.

"Yeah." Tari said suddenly serious.

"What's he gonna do?" Soujiro asked.

"I don't know yet."

"I don't know what brought this on, but if Tomoe was interested in another guy then it's not her fault." Chou said setting his food aside.

"Yeah Aoshi never made a move." Tari said looking where Tomoe used to sit.

"Think Tomoe knows?" Chou asked.

"People tend to notice things. I mean they have known each other for quite a while she should know when he's starting to act wonky. Otherwise she'd really be daft." Tari said.

"Wonky? That's not even a word! " Chou grimaced hitting Tari on the shoulder. While he retaliated by slapping him on the side of his head.

"You think it was right that we meddled?" Soujiro asked unsure stopping the two from hurting each other further.

"You could be the smartest guy in the world but if you let love pass you by then you're a damn fool." Tari said shoving the last spoonful of jello into his mouth.

"But what if it just hurts the both of them?"

"Everybody gets hurt Soujiro." Chou said leaning back in his chair. "Would you rather have loved and lost or not have loved at all?"

"Man you're opening line rocked but that cliché just stank!" Tari said hitting Chou's hair with his spoon. "Let's go before you start belting out another one."

"I'd rather have loved." Soujiro whispered watching his friends walk out of the cafeteria.

===

Tanada and Sano still weren't talking and the class suffered because of it. Despite of himself Kenshin missed the usual banter, it kept the class interesting. Now looking at his students, most of them in the danger of falling right into the aisles, he wished he could have his smart alecks back.

His eyes drifted to Misao. She looked miserable as well. His mind shifted to that afternoon in Chem lab where he had paired the three up. _Boy Kenshin can you ever pick 'em!_

"Ok class since you have a vow of silence I won't bore you any further." The class held their breath collectively, were they going to get a free period? "Let's do problems!" the class groaned.

===

"Why haven't you told him it was a lie!" Misao hissed when she finally got Sano alone.

"Coz he'd never believe me. He'll think I'm lying!"

"What kind of a friend are you?" she spat out, looking over at the courtyard. They were having PE and he pulled Sano into the bushes to talk to him. She was keeping a look out since she didn't want the scandal to get worse.

"Give it a few days it'll die down."

"What about Shiro?" she asked his name seemed alien to her once again.

"Shiro will get over it." he said walking away.

"Come back here I'm not finished!" she called after him. She froze, Sano was already talking to some girls. She crept to the back of the garden so, as they wouldn't seem to have been together.

===

Sano had been putting on the charm for the two girls that came up to him. When the freshman class suddenly filed out of the building for their own PE period. Sano caught sight of Tsubame. He wanted to wave at her but she looked away, suddenly he saw Yahiko looking at him, then he turned his back on him.

"Geez why is this love thing so hard!" he yelled walking back to the gym forgetting he was talking to the girls.

===

"Tsubame?" Yahiko asked as they lined up for softball.

"Yeah?" Tsubame was surprised, he doesn't usually use her name. He opened his mouth as if wanting to say something. But he just shook his head and walked over to the guys.

===

"What's wrong with the guys?" Kaoru asked Enishi as they walked to the shower room.

"Don't you know?" Enishi said exasperated.

"I mean why haven't they made up yet?" she said rolling her eyes at him.

"I don't really know. Who cares?" he said handing her back her gym bag.

"You think Misao might"

"Don't be silly. It takes more than a girl to get between those two." He said waving goodbye as he headed toward the guy's locker room.

Kaoru smiled at her boyfriend. If he said it was going to be ok then it would be. He always seemed to make things all better. And he took care of all of them, not just her. She just wished he would act around her the way he did Tomoe. He was like a little puppy when she was around always asking for her attention. Always demanding her to love him.

She wanted to see that Enishi too. She was tired of the cool laid back one that can sometimes be so cold.

===

The steam rose up form the common showers. It was gross and unhygienic but for those who didn't want to stay in line or those very assured of their body it was a fast alternative to the cubicles.

Of course varsity players always used the common showers, either from tradition or sheer arrogance.

Sano knew Shiro better than anybody. For others him not telling the truth to Shiro was cruel but that was just Shiro's way. He had to get used to the idea first, then if he wanted to talk he would go to you. If he had talked to him right away Shiro would have alienated himself from his best friend even more.

A soap slid over to where he was standing and he looked beside him and saw Shiro with a towel ready to whip his behind.

"Pick it up bitch." He smiled.

===

The final bell had rung and Mr. Himura had just dismissed his class. Everyone had almost gone but Enishi lingered a while at the bulletin board on the south steps. He looked up and saw his sister run up to Mr. Himura just as he was leaving the class room and give him a couple of papers.

A couple of words passed between the two of them and she smiled. His heart froze. Suddenly he wanted to tear Mr. Himura's head from his neck. His murderous thoughts however were disrupted as he saw Aoshi standing on the north steps looking over sadly at the two also. Aoshi saw him and nodded before continuing down the steps.

===

"Yahiko" she started as he started packing his bag. School was already out and he had to make it to practice. He looked up at her. "Do you uhm" she didn't know how to say it.

"Make it quick Kitano I have to make it to practice."

"Do you like me?" she blurted out closing her eyes and turning red.

"Yeah sure you're my best friend." He answered exasperated at what she was asking him.

"No I mean like me like me." she said turning even redder.

"Are you crazy? What gave you that idea!" Yahiko said his mouth dropping.

"Well" she didn't know how to explain. It sounded better saying it in her head, now it just seemed ridiculous.

"We're pals right?" Yahiko uttered suddenly uncomfortable. "I mean do you like me?"

"Well no not particularly. Other then you know as a best friend." She said relieved.

Yahiko grinned. "Wow so I'm you're best friend huh!"

"Yeah but it doesn't mean I'll let you copy my tests ok!" she smiled grateful all the awkwardness had gone.

"But that's what best friends are for!" he called after her.

"No it's not!" she turned back at him. They were standing in the corridor, this was where they usually parted. Yahiko the south stair case then down to the gym. Tsubame to the north stair case then up to student council room. "Ok, guess I'll see you tomorrow."

"Hey Tsubame" Yahiko started unsure. She turned to look at him. "If he hurts you I'll kill him." he said embarrassed.

She smiled at her best friend.

===

Misao watched as the drama club rehearsed. He watched as Soujiro took control of the stage. He was director, lights manager as well as the lead. It was his show. When he was onstage he commanded your attention, as if everything else melted away except for you and him. Well that was what it was like for Misao anyway.

"Hey Misao." Soujiro smiled going over to her. "Like it?"

"Yeah it seems great so far!" she smiled lighting up. "Uhm where's the leading lady?"

"Oh Tari isn't here yet." He said absently. She looked at him as if expecting it was a joke. "I'm not kidding he's the lead!"

"It's a girl role right?" she asked.

"Yep, we're doing it like No Theater."

"So that's why I don't see a lot of girls."

"That and the fact that they're angry at us for giving Tari the lead."

"I'm sure its gonna be great." She smiled at him.

"Thanks. I just wish Tari would get here so we can run through the lines before dress rehearsal." He said looking at his watch.

"Hey I gotta go. Tomoe might need help." She said leaving.

"You know Misao" Soujiro started. "You've been going to my rehearsals since junior high. I'm gonna miss you when I leave." He smiled sadly.

Misao could have died then and there and not have cared. It did not matter that all she was to him was a fan, he noticed her, he remembered her and he was going to miss her. That was all that mattered to her.

===

"You know it's not true." Sano told Shiro as they walked to the gym.

"Yeah I know." he said sullenly.

"So why are you still sulking?" he said dribbling a basketball between his legs.

"I think I really like her Sano." He said seriously.

"Oh I'm gonna be sick." Sano fainted.

"Get up you jerk!" Shiro laughed kicking his feet.

"So what's your problem then? I don't think you have any competition." Sano said still reeling from his best friend's confession.

Shiro looked over at the auditorium. Misao just left it and Soujiro was walking beside her laughing.

"That's the problem." Shiro pointed towards them.

Everyone in the class knew Misao was head over heels in love with Soujiro. They teased her endlessly about it. The cruelest thing was that they all knew she didn't have a chance.

===

"Ok that's it for today. Go hit the showers." Coach Makoto finished another two-hour torture session.

"Good job guys." Kenshin smiled. The team gave him a high fives while others stayed to chat with him a little. He looked over at Aoshi, he was more distant than ever and he couldn't get the feeling that he was avoiding him for some reason. His eyes shifted and caught Enishi's face, it had on an 'I'll gut you and shove it down you're throat' look that made him shiver.

__

Geez what is happening to the guys? First Sano and Tanada now these guys.

===

"You know its gross." Yahiko said sitting in the front of Tari's car. They were on their way home from practice.

"What are you talking about?" Sano asked innocently. They had left Tari since he still had dress rehearsal. "You mean Tari and this play?"

"I mean you." Yahiko said coldly. Sano felt a pang of guilt and it made him feel worse about the feelings he just started to have for Tsubame.

"Just don't hurt her."

===

Enishi was always the last one to leave the lockers. He took extra long baths and took his time massaging his leg and arm muscles. He liked the steam and solitude of an empty shower room.

He stopped. There was somebody else in the room. Aoshi sat in front of his locker already dressed looking at something.

"I didn't know you were still in here." he greeted his senior. Aoshi hid whatever it was he was looking at and slammed his locker door shut.

"Yukishiro." Aoshi nodded as he passed him by on the way to the door. Enishi blocked his way, wanting a confrontation. He knew Aoshi was in love with his sister. He knew it the moment he scored a winning shot last year and he headed straight for her. He knew then that he felt something more for Tomoe other than friendship. At first he gagged at the idea. Aoshi had been around them since grade school. He was always hanging around the house; he was like an older brother to Enishi. But that didn't mean he wanted him for her oneechan.

The two men stared at one another, neither wanting to give way. Finally Aoshi sighed.

"I would never hurt her you know. If ever she chooses someone else I'd let her go." He said walking away.

===

notes:

currently untitled is the title of this fic

I am not familiar with the school system of Japan so here's what I used grades 6-8 is junior high and 9-12 is high school. Sorry for the confusion. Besides this isn't really set in Japan. Its in this alternate universe where Japan, USA and the Philippines sorta blend into each other.


	11. Ep 11: Kamatari's Moment

===

Ep. 11: Kamatari's moment

===

"There you are! We should be starting rehearsals!" Soujiro exasperated.

"Give me a second." Tari sighed looking at the lacey number he had on. He was sitting behind the auditorium overlooking the outdoor courts and watching the sun set.

"In all my years of wearing dresses, this is the first time I'm uncomfortable in one." Soujiro stopped, Tari was rarely serious.

"Why do you do it Tari?" He asked sitting beside his friend, trying not to ruin the velvety balloon pants he had on.

"Wear dresses you mean?" he asked looking sideways at Soujiro as he nodded. "I dunno. Maybe it's coz I like the attention?"

"You used to get that when you played for the basketball team."

"It's different you know? It's like here I am a fag and I don't give a damn! When I was on the basketball team I had to act the part; I was a jock. Jocks couldn't be gay." He smiled remembering Coach Makoto.

"Don't you like playing?"

"I love playing. But its not gonna last." He said sadly. "How many college teams would want a cross-dressing fag on their roster?"

"Is that why you joined up for the play?"

"I joined up for the play coz of you. And now I'm really regretting it."

"Are you really?" Soujiro asked crest fallen.

"No silly!" Tari laughed pinching Soujiro on his side. "I just didn't want to get too comfortable on the team you know? I might end up missing it too much. Plus everyone knows theater boys are gay." He winked at him.

"Oh I can point out a couple of them if you want." He laughed.

"What's the deal with you?" Tari asked. "All these years with out a girlfriend. You MUST be gay?" he laughed.

"Is that what they're saying now?" Soujiro smiled.

"Really Sou. With all those girls and guys that chase after you, why haven't you fallen in love yet?"

"Coz it's not me they're chasing." He smiled sadly. "It's all this, the theatre, the council, the honor roll that's all they're after. It's like my achievements are the only things that matter to them. Those people don't know who I am."

"But Sou you have so many friends?" Tari asked confused at the sadness in his voice.

"Friends? Aside from you guys I don't really have anyone to be me with. And no offense but even you people don't know the real me."

"Maybe its because you don't let us."

"No. Being talented alienates you from people." He stopped. "All of my achievements don't bring me closer to people. Coz it's all they see, they don't notice the person behind those titles, behind those awards." He paused, the usually sunny Soujiro melted away.

"They chase me, tell me they love me and want to be with me. And it's all a joke, coz none of them have seen me. And if they did would they still want what they see? All my life I've lived up to expectations, acting out who they want me to be. Until in the end I've forgotten who I was."

"That's why I love the theater so much. At least I can pretend to be someone else, someone different from pseudo ME that I play so well."

"You've got to give people a chance. How would you know if they would accept you for who you are if you've never shown them the real you?" Tari asked hugging his friend.

"I'm afraid" he said suddenly vulnerable. Tari sighed, he had never seen this side of Soujiro before. All his life he had been an achiever, branded perfect in every sense and yet through it all he was just afraid of failing of being flawed. That was why he made this pseudo identity, where nothing could touch him, where he appeared as perfect as everyone thought he was.

"We're you afraid no one could love you for who you are?" Tari asked gently, stroking Soujiro's head.

"Who would ever love a fake?" he asked, chuckling a little. "That was too melodramatic. I think I've been in the theater too long." He smiled returning to his old self.

"Perhaps you have been." Tari frowned. "You have to leave this theater of yours, leave your character and let us see the real you."

Soujiro looked at his friend. No one had ever understood him. No one had ever seen this side of him. He was grateful Tari was there. Grateful he was his friend. Maybe it was time he left the theater behind.

"Let's go to rehearsal." He smiled.

===

"Aoshi" Tomoe ran up to him before he got into his car.

"Yes?" He stopped.

"Could you give me a ride? Enishi left already." She smiled sheepishly. Aoshi didn't answer. He just threw his gym bag in the back and waited for her to get in with him.

"Enishi should take better care of you." he said stoically.

"Actually I asked him to leave me behind." She said simply. His heart began to beat faster.

===

Kenshin closed the door to the faculty room. He was the last one to leave that Friday night so he had to lock the door. From the shadows something moved. Kenshin jumped, caught unaware.

"Who's there?" he called out. From corner emerged Enishi in anger seeping from his every pore. "Oh it's you Yukishiro." He greeted his student.

"Stay away from her!" he slammed his fist into the lockers beside Kenshin's head, denting the metal.

"Why are you so angry? What are you talking about?" the older man asked shrinking away from Enishi.

"I've seen the way you look at my sister!" he screamed inching closer. Something flashed in Enishi's eyes, he looked homicidal.

"Enishi I have no idea"

"Don't fuck with me Himura!" he yelled trying to grab Kenshin who prudently moved away.

"I have never felt anything like this. I don't know what it is but she makes me feel so alive. It's like I actually mattered." He said quietly.

"Shut up!" he slammed his fist once more into the lockers as Kensin dodged the punch.

"I think I'm in love with her." He said apologetically.

"You don't deserve her!"

"You can't choose who you love Enishi." He pleaded.

"So what are you going to do? Keep her here? Make her a housewife?" he laughed. "My sister has a bright future ahead of her. You will not ruin it."

"I never intended to." he said trying to calm Enishi down. "What I feel is wrong I know. I know nothing will ever come of it but I have accepted it and I am ready to let her leave." Enishi stopped, pleased by what he heard.

"Perhaps its time you did the same." He said quietly. Suddenly Enishi's anger flared once more.

"Who the fuck do you"

"You can't tie her to you forever Enishi. You don't own her." Kenshin whispered, the teacher part of him taking over. "You're scared to death of loosing her."

"How dare you"

"That's why you're here now." he finished wanting to go over the younger boy and comfort him. His own admission of love still warm upon his lips.

"Stop it!" he yelled running away from him.

===

They had been driving in silence for ten minutes now. She wanted to ask him how he was doing, why he has been so distant with them. Why was it so hard?

"Aoshi" she started swallowing hard.

"Yes?" he asked not taking his eyes off the road.

"What's wrong?" she asked gently.

His heart melted. He was ready to confess his love to her, offer her his heart and wait for the answer he dreaded. He needed to tell her. He needed her to know.

"Nothing." Was all he said.

"Aoshi please, don't insult me by pretending I can't see through you." she smiled at her joke. But he didn't.

They had reached her house and he stopped the car. She looked up. Enishi still wasn't home.

"I thought I was your best friend." She asked sadly.

"You are." He answered.

"What's wrong Aoshi? I want you to tell me what's wrong. I want to help you. Please tell me what's wrong." She asked begging him. Aoshi looked at her, a painful look upon his face.

"Tomoe please, please don't ask me."

===

She almost jumped when she heard someone knock on her window. Kaoru put on her slippers and went over to her balcony. She saw Enishi looking back at her. She opened the glass panels and let him in, confused to why he would turn up this late in her balcony when he could've just entered through the front door.

"Enishi?" she asked.

"Oh Kaoru." He sobbed into her embrace. "She's leavingmy big sister is leaving. What am I gonna do? How am I gonna survive without her?"

She smiled and stroked his back lovingly. Enishi had never shown her this side of him. Never had she seen him so desperate. She could never replace Tomoe in his heart she knew. And she decided she would stop trying.

She loved Enishi. And he loved her for who she was, not who she could be. And for this she loved him even more.

"Shhh I'm here Enishi, its gonna be all right." She whispered kissing his forehead.

===

Rehearsals were done and everyone was so tired, they had started to go home. Tari asked if he could catch a ride with Soujiro since Sano took his car.

"By the way you were great!" Sou smiled. Tari seemed preoccupied with something.

"It's lonely isn't it?" he asked serious.

"What?"

"Remember what we talked about? About you playing your part for everyone?" he reminded him of the talk they had that afternoon. "I just realized we aren't so different."

"What do you mean?"

"I have been playing a part too you see. It's my way of coping with my being gay." He said looking out the window. "This elaborate act was just to stop people from realizing I don't know who I am anymore."

"It's so lonely sometimes." He continued smiling. "We have been playing so many roles that we don't really know who we are sometimes."

"Tari"

"People that are halves of so many things but never really whole." He finished. Soujiro reached over to his friend. This time he was the one that needed comforting. And yet he knew what Kamatari had said was true.

===

Tomoe sat up. She couldn't sleep anyway.

She looked out of the window. She could see Aoshi's light. He was probably studying. She didn't want him to say it. Tomoe knew Aoshi felt differently about her. She knew what he was going to say. And she thanked all her lucky stars he didn't. For she didn't know how what she would say back.

She had never addressed the issue, thinking she will cross that bridge when she came to it. But now the bridge was so close that she didn't know what to do. She didn't know how she would handle it.

She had just started to be fond of Mr. Himura. Seeing him, being with him, made her want to know him more. As if nothing would be simpler than having him in her life. And yet Aoshi fit too.

Something had changed. She had grown used to having Aoshi around that she never really appreciated him. Now that they were apart she felt a deep sadness and a hollow feeling that nothing could fill. Aoshi was her best friend. But was there something more? Can there be something more?

"Do I want something more?" she whispered watching the small light across the street.

She missed him terribly. Every time she saw him sad she wanted to make it all better, wanted to make him smile. She wanted to have dinners with him again, hear him laugh. She wanted to see him score the winning shot and then look at her as if it was meant for her and her alone. Sometimes she just wanted to know what it felt like being surrounded by his arms.

__

What am I gonna do?

Aoshi turned off his light.

Tomoe sat in the darkness, wishing she could have an answer.

===

"So tonight's the night huh?" Chou smiled draping his arm around Tari.

"Bugger off Chou!" he shouted back a nervous wreck. "Please Sou? Please let's not put on the play?"

"No Tari. We spent too much time on this! Besides you'll be great!" Soujiro smiled writing down last minute adjustments to the lighting.

"Oh Shit. What am I gonna do?"

===

The auditorium was already full. Chou had saved front row seats for all three of them. He said he wanted a full view of Tari's performance, no doubt he'll find anyway that he can make fun of his friend.

Tomoe had arrived and was reading the program. Chou moved over so that the empty seat was beside Tomoe.

Aoshi arrived. The two looked up at him, Chou smiled but Tomoe evaded his eyes.

"Hey I'll just sit in the back. I haven't had a lot of sleep and I might doze off in the middle." He muttered. His lame excuse evident to all three of them. "I'll catch you guys later."

"Chou?" Tomoe asked after Aoshi left, she looked as if she was about to break out in tears.

"It'll be ok." Chou smiled patting her hand. "Now let's just make fun of Kamatari." He winked as the curtains rose.

===

"I cannot love you. My heart has forgotten the love it had for you." Soujiro's Cupid said turning away from Kamatari's Psyche in the last scene of the play.

"You lie." He said convincingly. "The heart never forgets."

The music swelled and the curtain was about to drop. Kamatari sighed, relief washing over him. The only thing left was Soujiro's last line.

"Love cannot exist with its soul." he whispered feeling his face with his palm. And slowly he moved his face closer to Tari and placed a tender kiss on his lips.

Kamatari's heart stopped.

===

The cast party was almost finished, everyone was drunk. Tari was sitting on the balcony, away from the noise and the beer. He was still thinking of the kiss. It wasn't supposed to happen, they had agreed. Why did Soujiro do it?

Suddenly the door opened and Soujiro came in and sat beside Kamatari. They smiled at each other, both at a loss for words.

Tari wanted to confront him, wanted to tell him Aoshi would kick his ass for kissing his number one fan, wanted to tell him his hot body was too much for a monk like Soujiro. He stopped. For the first time in his life he wanted to talk to Soujiro as who he really was. Tonight he would stop acting. Just for tonight.

"For one brief moment back there I could've loved you." Tari smiled sadly.

"For one brief moment I did." Soujiro said coming close to his friend and placing a soft kiss on his lips.

And then their moment ended.

"That was nice." Soujiro blushed. "I'm sorry Tari. It was a bad idea."

"Oh." He replied crestfallen.

"I did not mean to hurt you." Soujiro said unsure of what else to say.

He knew it could lead no where. He was leaving for England in a couple of weeks. Besides he wasn't sure if he really was gay. It was just so wonderful to think that somebody else understood him.

"It's ok Sou. For a moment it was wonderful to have someone love me." Tari smiled.

"Yeah it was."

===

notes:

This story has taken over a life of its own. I have no more control of it. I have relinquished all responsibility of plot twists and cheezy lines. ;p


	12. Ep 12: Tomoe's dilemma

===

Ep. 12: Tomoe's dilemma

===

Aoshi was busy stuffing his notebooks into his bag. He was already late for practice. He had decided to ignore the affairs of his heart by focusing his every breath on the upcoming basketball semis.

It hurt less.

She stood behind him. Unable to call his name. She didn't know how to start it. They had to talk. They needed to talk. _How do you tell someone you didn't love him?_

"Aoshi" she asked tentatively. He looked up and gave her a small smile. Tomoe relaxed a warm feeling flooded her, that familiar smile that was for her alone made it a little easier.

"Uhm we have to talk." She continued unsure. The class prudently emptied the room. This was after all a crucial point in the history of whether they were going to win the championship or not. Unfortunately for Tomoe and Aoshi, the class gossiped like old women, even though none of them really knew what was going on since their friends kept quiet about it. Fortunately though all of them respected the two enough not to pryopenly.

"I know." Aoshi replied suddenly serious. "Can't we just forget it?" he asked suddenly.

Tomoe beamed and nodded her head furiously. That was what she wanted to say. She wanted to go back to the old way they talked, the time they spent together. She just wanted Aoshi back.

Aoshi chuckled. She beamed even more with pride. Not many can elicit that kind of response from Aoshi. Not many could have that much of his attention.

"Listen I'm late for practice. Want me to take you home?" he asked as if it wasn't killing him.

"Sure." She smiled.

"See you later Toto." He said shouldering his bag. Tomoe smiled, it was the little pet name he gave her when they were still children. Although she hated it, coz he made it sound like she was his pet. He would always say that to her before they went home, pat her head like a puppy thengive her a little kiss on the forehead. Tomoe stopped.

It happened so quickly. Like a reflex neither could stop. Aoshi had walked up to her, patted her on the head and gave her a soft kiss on her forehead. He was so close to her now, his hand behind her head, his other hand on the strap of his gym bag. His body formed a little semi-circle, like a cave meant for her, a hug that was not quite finished. She could feel his warmth, smell his skin, feel the soft brush of his lips on her forehead. Her heart started racing.

Then he left. Rounded the corner and disappeared. Leaving her in the cold emptiness of the classroom.

__

How do you tell someone you do love him?

===

They were almost done. The two of them again left alone. Kenshin had to skip practice since he was doing double duty for Ms. Komagata who never showed up. They were cleaning up all the paperwork in the lounge when something caught his eye.

"I didn't know this still existed." He laughed. He took a blue yearbook from the shelf and opened it. Laughing as he saw the familiar faces of his class mates.

Tomoe looked over his shoulder. She saw the old team. Mr. Himura looked really young. His hair was shorter then.

He was also in a couple of the pictures. He had one in the championship basketball team photo, one in the chemistry club, one in the graduation ball and one in the field, with a girl.

He stopped. A soft look upon his face. He smiled fondly.

"Was she your girlfriend?" Tomoe asked looking at the photo. They were standing in the foot ball field. His ragged uniform looked like he played a little just before the photo was taken. One of his arms held the ball while the other waved at the camera, he had an impish grin. Beside him stood a very pretty girl, she was in uniform, she had bangs and pigtails, her eyes crinkled while she smiled a V-sign on one had.

"Yui Tomoeda." He sighed looking at her again. "She was my high school sweetheart."

"What happened to her?" she asked, envying the look upon his face.

"We went to college together." He said sitting on the table, mesmerized by the old reminder from the past.

"Why did you not get married?" she asked unsure.

"When my mother died, I was so torn up. I was so young and my heart felt like it was never going to heal. Then as I grew up I tried not to get too close to people. I was afraid of losing them. Yui was the only one that understood and put up with it. I was with her all of high school and half of college."

"Then one day she told me that 'you don't lose people, you push them away'." He stopped. "I knew then that I had lost her."

"Why didn't you try to get her back?" she asked seeing the pained look on his face.

"I knew I couldn't love Yui the way she should be loved. She deserved better than me." he smiled sadly.

"What happened to her?" she asked sitting beside him.

"She married my best friend." He laughed pointing at a boy sitting beside him on the team.

"What?" she asked confused.

"Oh don't worry. It doesn't bother me anymore. I couldn't be happier for them. I'm the godfather of their first child." He said matter of factly.

"Didn't it hurt?"

"At first it did. Almost drove me insane. But then I got to thinking, I knew he would take care of her. That was all I ever wanted after all , that Yui be taken cared of. She was so good to me."

"You see them?"

"Yeah we have dinner once a week. They bug me about not yet settling down but hey, I like their company."

Tomoe looked at him confused.

"They love each other. What could be better than that?" Kenshin smiled.

"Did she still love you?"

"I asked her that before she got married. I went to her, wanted to make sure neither of them got hurt."

"What did she say?"

"That you never really stop loving someone. And that pain is what we pay for loving. But that didn't mean there was no more room for someone else and the pain reminds her to appreciate that she was lucky enough for love to come into her life." He said closing the yearbook.

"She was wise." She commented, impressed by what she heard.

"Yeah frighteningly so." Kenshin smiled. "Now she's pregnant with their second baby. And if her husband hurts her I swear I'll kill him." he said so naturally.

They laughed at this. He stopped. "I really did love her." He sighed.

Tomoe felt her heart tighten. He looked so lost, his pain so etched in his words. That was why he seemed sad always. She wanted to take him into her arms and take all the pain away.

__

How do you tell someone you do love him?

__

===

Aoshi saw waited for Tomoe outside the lounge. His heart breaking.

He did promise to let her go.

===

notes: sorry for the short chapter. I just felt like it needed an episode of its own. To those who read this please rest assured that it WILL be finished. Med school just takes up too much time but I will update before june ends. I promise ;p


	13. Ep 13: Auction night

xxx

Ep. 13: Auction Night

xxx

"Ok so this is the game plan! You out bid everyone ok! I'll give you $100 make sure you out bid everyone!" Sano pleaded desperation in his voice.

"Wow you really don't want to date someone huh." Tsubame smiled pocketing the money. Ever since Yahiko said it was ok Sano had been hanging around her all the time. Picking her up from class, eating with her during lunch. Amidst Yahiko's gagging noises and grossed-out stares it was going ok. Tsubame was actually touched when Yahiko started acting all jealous because Sano ate up all of Tsubame's free time. She couldn't ask for anything more.

Her crush of over 5 years has finally noticed her, not only that he was on the varsity and half of the girls were cursing the freshman. Also her best friend finally acknowledge her worth to him. There were times when she thought all she was to Yahiko was a copy sheet, now she knew he really did care for her and she couldn't stop smiling.

Kaoru laughed watching as Sano panicked. Enishi was his usual distant self while Tanada still acted like the idiot. Everything was back to normal. She sighed, underneath the table Enishi held her hand for a moment and smiled a little when she looked at him.

Since the night he came to her crying his heart out, their relationship changed considerably. Now that Tomoe was leaving, Enishi transferred his need to be babied to Kaoru. He was constantly touching her and stealing kisses from her, much to the other guys' disgust.

"Aww gross!" Tanada threw his napkin at the two. "I thought the two of you can't get any worse! Now you just make me nauseous." He laughed standing up to go to the counter. He was going to pay for the candy he took when Misao arrived at the counter the same time as he did.

"Hey." She smiled. True they had gone back to the usual banter at school but they had lost their closeness. They didn't talk anymore and he barely noticed her out of the classroom.

"Hey." He mimicked. "You wanna go first?" he asked looking at the cashier.

"You go ahead."

"No you." they stopped. None of them were going to give up, both of them stubborn as ever.

"Tanada just ignore the weasel and get me my chocolate!" Sano yelled from the table.

"His highness has hollered." He smiled apologetically.

"Good luck tonight!" she called as he walked away. "Uhm on the auction."

"Oh yeah, nah I'm gonna buy myself out." He smiled. "I'm not really in the mood to go on a date."

She watched him walk away. She hated this. She wanted Tanada back. The real Tanada.

xxx

"Hey sweetheart!" Tari pounced on Aoshi the moment he entered the cafeteria. "I'm gonna bid on you tonight!"

"Great." He said stoically.

"Oh yeah I've been saving up these past few months!" he winked. Aoshi broke into a cold sweat.

"So busy practicing huh." Soujiro smiled as the two joined the table.

"Yeah Aoshi here is really serious about the finals." Chou commented.

"I won't lose this time. I wanna be champion just once before we graduate." He answered opening his sandwich.

"If hard work was all that was needed to win then Aoshi would win the championship for us single handedly. He practices 2 hours extra from our school practices plus an hour at the gym everyday! Talk about crazy!"

"Yeah well somebody has to save your ass." He laughed.

"Ugh as if! Me and Aoshi can win it without you!" Tari stuck his tongue out at Chou.

"We're gonna win this baby!" Chou hooted.

"Good luck then." Tomoe smiled at the three. Aoshi had finally started to join them, although it was evident to everyone a wall had been built up between him and Tomoe.

"Oh yeah Tomoe, there are funds left over from the Drama club play. We thought we'd donate it to the Christmas party." Soujiro smiled.

"Yeah Tari was the bomb!" Chou said doing a little dance. Tari kicked his behind and started chasing him and yelling at him.

"Why don't you use it to bid on someone?" Tomoe smiled. "We'll still get it and you'll get a date out of your money too."

"Uhm no thanks I don't really wanna bid for anyone." Soujiro laughed. "Why don't you bid with the money?" Tomoe blushed at the idea.

"No. I couldn't" she refused.

"I insist." Soujiro was adamant. "It's not enough but may be you can pool it and buy me out." He bribed.

"Oh no you're one of our largest draws!" Tomoe laughed.

"Please just use the money."

"I could give it to Tari" She said turning to look for her friend.

"USE IT!" Aoshi almost shoved the money in Tomoe's hands the thought of Tari having more money to bid for him left his mouth dry. Soujiro and Tomoe were stunned at Aoshi's outburst. All three simultaneously laughed.

xxx

"So you gonna bid for Soujiro tonight?" Sano asked walking over to her.

"As if!" Misao huffed trying not to turn red. "I would if I had the money though." She sighed.

"Haha you're hopeless Makimachi!" Sano laughed.

"I know!" she stuck her tongue out at him. After the scandal and when all the other girls' fury was turned to Tsubame, she and Sano actually became friends. He stopped bothering her all the time. In contrast to Shiro who seemed to become more and more distant to her.

"So Mr. Himura who do you wish will bid for you tonight?" Kaoru asked. She was hanging around the teacher's table watching Kenshin. He kept looking nervously at Enishi who didn't seem to care.

"Er hopefully no one will." He said embarrassed.

"I saw you're name on the tally sheet! You have the most number of votes!" she smiled sweetly at him.

"Yeah I was afraid of that." He smiled. The tally sheet determined who was to be auctioned off first. The more votes you get the later you will be sold so that everyone will be given a chance to bid. He didn't know if it was some cruel joke or some cruel joke. It must have been a joke. He couldn't fight off the suspicion that his class had something to do with it.

xxx

__

Aoshi.

Tomoe watched him disappear in his deluge of fans, girls vying to gain two seconds of his attention. She laughed inwardly, he could never escape it. Everyday it was the same. She sighed.

What was she going to do? She could go on pretending like nothing happened. Be friendly and pretend nothing was wrong. But she knew she couldn't.

Suddenly her heart felt tight, as if something was choking her. They would go to the same college and yet it wasn't the same. She knew they would see each other less and less. Was he starting to disappear from her life forever?

She hated this, it sounded as if she needed Aoshi with her all the time. Which was absurd! She had lived all her 18 years on her own, why couldn't she think of living the rest that way? Actually that wasn't right. Aoshi had been with her in the last 12 years.

Was that all he was? A security blanket she had grown used to?

Aoshi looked up, searching for her. She smiled and gave him a little wave. He gave her an apologetic smile and waved goodbye.

He didn't ask her to save him this time, he just turned around and walked away.

xxx

"Makimachi." Shiro called jogging up to her. "Mr. Himura wants to talk to you."

"Oh what about?" she asked looking up at her classmate.

"I dunno." He shrugged his shoulders. "Hey" he started to say something but shook his head and walked away.

"Tanada" Misao called after him.

"Uh yeah?"

"Thanks."

"For what you weirdo?" Tanada laughed uneasy. "I'm obliged to do what the teacher tells me too."

"For being my friend." Misao said turning red. "If it weren't for you I'd still be the butt of every joke."

"Uhm earth to Misao you still ARE!" he laughed much more comfortable.

"Yeah but I wouldn't of gotten to know everyone and probably have resented the entire class for the rest of my life" she started to babble.

Tanada put his hand on her shoulder. "You're a great girl Misao, you made those friends all by your self." He smiled. She was stunned, she never really got a compliment from Tanada before, plus he called her by her first name twice inside a minute. That was a first.

"Well I gotta get to practice. See yah!" he smiled turning his back.

"Thank you" she whispered. "You were a great friend too, for a while."

Shiro stopped, frozen where he was. "Don't' fall in love with me ok!" he laughed nervously without looking at her. Then he sprinted towards the gym, without looking back.

xxx

"Tell the class the auction begins at 8pm and after that dates begin at 9 so does the dance, I might not be able to make homeroom today since the semis are next week we need all the practice we can get." Kenshin dictated to Misao.

"Who will you bid for?" he asked his president.

"Oh no one in particular." She smiled.

"Is there a chance the class will buy me out?" he teased.

"Of course not!" Misao exclaimed as if the idea had been preposterous.

"Fine!" Kenshin uttered in defeat.

xxx

The team had to practice on only one side of the court that day. The student council had to set up for the auction that night. Much to coach Makoto's annoyance, aside from the fact he was on the list.

Tomoe was busy with the decorations, making small paper hearts that they would dangle all around the room. She was so caught up with making the pink, red and white confetti that she didn't notice the ball coming straight at her head. She turned around let out a small "eep" while shielding her face expecting the dirty rubber to hit her hard. To her surprise nothing happened and felt someone sweating on her hands.

"Sorry about that" Aoshi grinned catching the ball in his big hands.

"Thanks" she smiled. "Your shoelace is untied." She pointed down.

"Oh thanks." He threw the ball to the other guys while he bent down to tie the laces. "So you gonna get a ride with me later or are you going with Enishi?" he asked

"I'm riding with Enishi, I've already stored my stuff in his car. But I will check your attire before I leave so please be ready by 7." She smiled. "Perfume and all."

"Ugh perfume?" he groaned getting up and returning to the game. Tomoe laughed. She looked over at Enishi, a forlorn look on his face as he watched his sister and Aoshi. He snapped out of his reverie and nodded to her before returning to the game as well.

xxx

"Hey To!" Chou jogged up to her leaning on his knees to catch his breath.

"Oh hey Chou." She smiled.

"Pretend you're telling me something important so I don't have to go back there yet." He motioned over to the practice on the other court. She laughed and shook her head.

"Hey To?" he asked straightening. "You alright?"

"Of course I am why do you ask?"

"You looked kinda spaced out."

"Oh its just the whole auction thing." She said cutting more paper hearts.

"It's almost valentines you know." he continued watching her. "Who's yours?" he smiled mischievously.

"Uhm valentines isn't for two months!" She said. " I don't have one and shame on you for asking!" she laughed waving the scissors at his face.

"Ok guys hit the showers." Coach Makoto barked. The both of them turned in the direction of the team. Aoshi and Mr. Himura were the last ones to leave.

"You know you can never really be sure." Chou said after sometime.

"Hmmm?" she asked distracted.

"Love"

"Huh?" She asked looking at him.

"If you're waiting for a sure sign, forget it. You won't get one." He said looking at her seriously. "Love is never really sure. But you have to risk it. It is the only way one finds out. And in the end when your heart is breaking and the pain is eating you up inside, your one solace is that you once loved with all your heart. And not many people are brave enough to do that."

She looked at him as if he had gone crazy. "What? I watch a lot of Oprah." He smiled waving as he sprinted towards the showers.

Tomoe watched him. Stunned.

xxx

Enishi waited for Tomoe to finish, he was tired but he loved the feeling after a day's practice. He saw Aoshi walk out of the gym alone. Usually his sister would be with him but it seems he had been the one waiting for her nowadays.

"Hey." He greeted his senior.

"Hey." Was all he said. Actually most of their conversations over the last ten years were like that. Except for the rare occasion wherein they would talk about basketball, then they seemed like they were best friends.

Enishi had always respected Aoshi. After their conversation in the locker room his respect was multiplied a hundred times. He saw much Aoshi loved his sister and how painful it was to let her go. In some ways he wished he had known Aoshi more before he left for college.

But that didn't mean he wanted Aoshi for his sister.

She came walking towards them, Aoshi finishing loading his car.

"I'll come by around 7 ok?" she called to him.

"Ok." He waved back.

Enishi looked at the two of them. They acted normal but something was missing, something was out of place. But then you can't really choose who you fall in love with. And Enishi felt sorry for Aoshi, for the first time in his life.

xxx

Tomoe looked at the money Soujiro gave her. It was around $50 it wasn't much but hey it was still a good bet. She sighed what was she going to do?

She didn't know if her longing for Aoshi stemmed from her need to be with him. He had been such an integral part of her life that she couldn't think of a day without him. But then that didn't really mean she was in love with him.

Mr. Himura on the other hand was just a crush. Something she didn't have before. Was it worth risking her best friend? Then again wasn't love worth the risk? Was it love?

"Hey oneechan." Enishi smiled going into her room. "Ready to go?"

She smiled at her younger brother. He had dressed up for the occasion. He was in a dark pinstriped suit a white shirt and a thin red necktie.

"Who are you and what have you done to my brother?" she laughed.

"Kaoru picked it out for me." he said somewhat proudly.

"May I make a suggestion though?" she asked. Enishi nodded. Tomoe removed his tie and unbuttoned his coat. She pulled the sleeve of his white shirt out so that the coat looked like it had a cuff. She opened up the first three buttons and pulled out a pair of dark denims. "Less formal, more Enishi!"

"I never thought I'd see the day when my older sister would pimp me." he shook his head.

"It's for charity." She smiled.

"Wow you dressed up too." He said combing his hair. His sister had on a simple white tube-top dress. She had on a shiny silver necklace that moved like a ribbon on her neck. She pulled her hair in a French knot behind her head.

"Can I make a suggestion?" Enishi asked laughing.

"Ok."

He took two small rose buds form her flower vase and cut off the stems and placed them in her bun. "Don't break too many hearts oneechan." He smiled.

xxx

"Hey!" she smiled as he opened the door to his room. "Your mom let me in."

"Wow you look great!" she smiled. Aoshi had on a white turtle neck which he rolled up his sleeve. He put on his black suit and smiled back at Tomoe.

"Hey we match!" he laughed pointing to her dress.

"I knew you didn't need a check-up. You always turn out handsome." She smiled smoothing the wrinkles out of his shirt. Aoshi cleared his throat. Tomoe looked up at him. He was looking at her, a sad look upon his face. Tomoe's heart sank, she hated seeing him sad. She put her head on his chest and breathed in his scent. Aoshi always smelled of soap.

For a brief moment she stayed there, Aoshi rigid as a rock. And then finally he relaxed and wrapped his arms around her in the briefest of hugs. Tomoe felt safe, for the first time in her life she felt like someone would take care of her. She spent her life taking care of Enishi and worrying about him. But in his arms she felt like she was the one being taken cared of. She was the one who would always be safe. _So this is what it feels like to be in your arms._

Then he pulled away.

"You gotta go Tomoe. You have to be there early." he reminded her. Tomoe looked up at her best friend, when had things changed so much? Suddenly her heart no longer knew what it wanted.

xxx

notes: sorry this installment took so longahh! And I knew I said there was only one chapter left but this was just too long already. Sorry for the delay but I promise I will finish this before november! And since I'm home from school I will definitely have time.


	14. Ep 14: The Auction

xxx

Ep 14: The Auction

xxx

The gym looked beautiful that night. Little white paper lanterns were lit up the entire gym with a soft glow.

In the middle of the school garden adjacent the gym there were fifteen tables for the fifteen bachelors that would be auctioned that night. The dates would be held there while the rest of the student body would be inside the gym enjoying the dance. There was a string quartet courtesy of the band, the HE club was preparing food and arts and crafts finished the bouquet the daters would give their datees.

Tomoe breathed a long sigh of relief.

"Relax boss everythings under control." Soujiro smiled patting her on the back.

"Looks like you did a good job Miss Tomoe." She jumped at Principal Saito's voice.

"I didn't know you'd be here prinicipal." She smiled trying not to look creeped out.

"Oh I just wanted to see if it was a disaster." He smiled at her, a wolfish smile as if he was full of mischief.

"Would you like to be auctioned off?" she asked afraid he would say yes.

"Sorry but I already have a date tonight." He winked. He turned around and waved goodbye. "Make sure those girly lanterns of yours don't burn my school down."

xxx

"Good evening ladies and gentlemen." Soujiro smiled at the nervous wrecks. "Tonight for we auction off handsome gentlemen for charity!" he paused.

"Ok charity meaning our Christmas party." The crowd cheered. "Since we have conducted a poll which would determine who would be auctioned off first. Mr. Himura since you have the most number of votes you will be auctioned last. Those preceding you will be Aoshi Shinomori, then me, Sanosuke Sagara"

Misao looked up at him. There he was, as if nothing would be more natural for him then being on the stage. Soujiro would always be charming.

"Who's that?" Misao turned around to where her classmates were pointing.

Chou entered the gym with someone resembling Kamatari Sagara. He had on a simple white suit and a beige stripped shirt that were both open in the front revealing skin. He had on leather flip flops and seemed like he came directly out of some island romance novel.

"He's so dreamy! Is there a fourth Sagara brother?" people were starting to whisper.

The mystery man looked around the gym seemingly not to notice the girls' hopeful stares. He sighed then tucked the white rose from his button hole into his ear and started to talk. Then everyone knew it was Kamatari.

"Geez I'm beginning to think this was a mistake! I feel so bland! Ugly guy clothes." He ranted.

"Shut up Tari, you look great! If I wasn't straight I'd hit on you." Chou said absently not even looking at Kamatari. Tari broke a great big smile on his face, like a kid who just got the keys to the candy store.

"You think I'm pretty Chou?" he asked sweetly.

"Ummhmm." Chou agreed looking over the brochure.

"You know" Tari draped himself on Chou's arms. "Friends make the best lovers."

"Eeeewww, you're barking up the wrong tree Tari." Chou said letting him drop to the floor. Tari regained his composure immediately.

"Don't fight it! You know you're gay! I have infected everyone with it!" he said posing in front of his best friend's horrified look.

"Very, very wrong tree." He said turning his attention back to his name on the brochure.

"Thanks for the compliment Chou baby." Tari said putting his head on his best friend's shoulder. Chou smiled, Tari would always be his best friend. Sometimes he felt bad because he knew all Tari wanted was to have someone accept and love him for who he is. Although he couldn't give him the latter, he would always support him.

"Why'd you dress up like that anyway?" He asked trying to get him in a lighter mood.

"Aw nothing. I just wanted to try it out. Freak some of the guys out if you know what I mean." He giggled.

"You look good for a guy. Ever think of switching?"

"Ewww and go after boobs? Gross!" he stuck his tongue out at him. "The only girl I've ever loved is Tomoe. Shame on you for hinting I might be Bi!" He laughed he knew Tari liked Tomoe when they were in grade school and he was still in the closet. He never really liked anyone else, so they would always tease them the couple that never was, coz nowadays they were always together. Of course the only thing they talked about was make-up and clothes and guys.

"So who you gonna bid on?"

"Dunno."

"Wanna bid on me?"

"Who you kidding you just love the idea of pimping yourself off to one of these horny girls!" Tari said not even looking at him.

"Not so loud dumb dumb!" Chou clamping his hand over Tari's mouth.

"Oh yeah as if the entire school didn't know how sleazy you truly are!"

"Hey Chou Youjin does not sleep around!" he said in his defense.

"Uh huh, you just date a minimum of five girls a month!"

"That is not considered sleeping around. There's just a lot of Chou to spread around." he smiled.

"A lot of STDs to spread around is more like it." he said snatching the brochure from his fingers. "Aoshi starts bidding at $25? How preposterous!"

Chou laughed. Tari could be cute sometimes, although "Hey stop spreading I have STD!" he hissed at him.

"Ok fine, fine. Announcement! Announcement! I declare Chou Youjin free of any Sexually Transmitted Disease, he is and will remain a virgin for the rest of his high school life!" he yelled at the top of his voice, even Soujiro heard him.

"Why you little" Chou started chasing him around the gym. Soujiro sighed, he knew the calmness of the evening was too good to last.

xxx

Mr. Himura looked over at Coach Makoto. He was going over some plays. He smiled he knew how much Shishio loved the game, how much he was devoted to it. Nothing, nothing could break his concentration.

"Heya Coach. I'm gonna bid on ya tonight!" Tari smiled, blowing a kiss to him.

Shishio Makoto suddenly became a nervous wreck.

xxx

"Ok Sold! Chou Youjin for $300! Thank you." Chou walked off the stage with a smug look upon his face.

"Ugh look at that idiot! He could at least look a little shy." Tari commented. Tomoe just smiled.

Both of them stopped when Chou was carted off toward the voluptuous woman he was sold to. "That's a high school student?" Tomoe stated stunned.

"Nah, that girl's in college. She stalked Chou last year when she was just a senior, they dated for a while I think but Chou dumped her. Man she is soo obsessed." Tari shook his head.

"Hmm I don't think Chou is complaining though." She pointed in the direction of the two, the girl grabbed Chou and started kissing him, Chou was hardly fighting back.

"Ugh, now he really will get an STD." Tari said sticking his tongue out. Tomoe looked at them blankly.

"Hey To, you ok?" he asked wrapping Tomoe in his arms. "Who ya gonna bid for sweetie?"

Tomoe's eyes shifted to the last two men to be auctioned off. Her heart sank. She didn't know even now. "Its not likely I'll win anyone for $50 Tari." She laughed.

"Does it really matter?" he asked smiling. She knew he was right. Tonight a choice would have to be made.

"Oooh Coach Makoto is up!" Tari smiled.

"You aren't gonna bid are you?" Tomoe laughed.

"Nah, I'm just shake him up a bit." Tari giggled.

"Ok now ladies and gents, we have Coach Makoto! Yes our beloved coach of the basketball team. An alumni of our great school, used to play for the team he now coaches. Great abs, uhm great personality lets start the bid at $10."

"Here!" Tari waved. A cold sweat broke on Coach Makoto's forehead.

"Do I hear $20?" he asked

"Twenty!" as if a shinning angel had come for his salvation, Ms. Komagata bid on him. And he could have died right then and there and not have cared. This was the first sign of any affection she had toward him and

"Fifty!" Tari.

"A hundred" Ms. Komagata.

"150!" Tari. It was almost comical how Coach Makoto's face would change, he would look all dreamy when Ms. Komagata bid on him and look like he was on the verge of falling into hell whenever Tari raised his hand.

"300!"

"350!"

"Really Tari do you want to spend that much just to freak him out?" Tomoe laughed watching the poor Coach.

"Nah that's my last bid." Tari laughed

"400!" Ms. Komagata really looked pissed by now.

"Wow what an exchange!" Soujiro said clearly amused. "I have $400! Does anyone want to bid?" No one answered. Ms. Komagata looked like she was ready to tear off someone's head if they even muttered a sound. Never had she looked so ready to kill.

"Going?" Shishio's eyes turned nervously to Tari.

"Going?" Tari blew him a kiss and waved bye bye.

"Gone! Sold to Ms. Komagata." The crowd cheered, no one louder than Shishio himself.

"Now we can get married!" he stated as Ms. Komagata went up the stage to retrieve him. Ms. Komagata rolled her eyes; it seemed for all his goofiness he actually did catch her eye.

"That's my gift to you Coach." Tari whispered.

"Was this all planned?" Tomoe smiled.

"The guy deserved a break!" he smiled. "And Ms. Komagata has got to learn that playing hard to get is sooo 80s."

xxx

"Tsubameeeee!" Sano's cry for help echoed through out the entire gym. Tsubame just shrugged her shoulders. He did just give her $100. The group of junior's that bid on him carried him off.

"Man who would've thought the bids would go this high." Yahiko whistled. "Oniisan sold for $400! Yuck who would shell out that kind of cash for him!"

Tsubame just smiled. "Hey you won't get jealous and start crying will you?"

"What? Are you crazy! He isn't my boyfriend!" she muttered defensively.

"Could've fooled me with the way he's always hanging around." he huffed.

"Why Yahiko Sagara, I do believe you're jealous." She laughed watching as her best friend turn red.

"Am not!" he vehemently denied

"Oh don't worry, I'll always have a special place for you in my heart." Tsubame teased him in a baby voice. For all the times he teased her back in grade school now she was getting her revenge.

"Come on, escort me since I have no date." Tsubame smiled wrapping her arm around his.

"No way man! People might think we're together or something." Yahiko said while extricating himself from her hold.

"I'll tell Sano on you." She said putting her arms on her waist.

"Geez blackmailing your best friend? How low can you go Kitano!" Yahiko said giving in.

"Hehe, thanks Yahiko-chan." She whispered kissing him on the cheek.

"Eeeewww!" he exclaimed but a smile was on his face nonetheless.

xxx

"Sold for $700!" Soujiro exclaimed as he auctioned off himself. "This is kinda weird." He laughed.

Misao smiled. She couldn't off bid as high as that. And Soujiro was one of the last draws. She looked at him wistfully. This was they way it will always be, him up on that stage and her in the faceless crowd, always wondering what if. Her eyes wondered to the group of people to the right, someone over there bid $700 for him.

__

That girl is lucky whoever she is.

"May I request the name of my patron? And could she go up on stage so as I can give her a kiss?" he asked shielding his eyes from the spotlight. All the girls sighed as he broke out into a smile.

"Misao Makimachi!" one girl yelled. It took Misao all of five seconds to realize the spotlight was on her.

"What?" she yelled shaking her head. She recognized her classmates carrying her over to the stage. Soujiro was smiling at her. They dumped her on the stage. "How graceful!" she yelled at them.

"I don't know anything about this upperclassman Seta!" she blushed as Soujiro stepped toward her.

"If they said you bid for me then you've won me." he smiled kissing her on the forehead. The entire class laughed as Misao turned redder than humanly possible. "Is it ok if I leave you for a while though? I still have two people to auction off."

"Yeah sure." Was all she could mutter. She stepped off the stage dazed, still unsure of what happened.

"What did you do?" she shrieked at her class, which covered their ears immediately.

"We pooled our money for you Misao!" Omasu smiled. "We wanted you to get the date with Soujiro. Here's your chance."

Misao's heart softened. "You guys did this for me?" she smiled almost in tears, for once in her life she felt that the class really did care for her. "Oh you guys, you don't know how much this means to me!" she hugged them.

"You should thank Tanada, he alone gave $500 for your bid." Omasu said pointing to Shiro.

He was in the back of the gym. Misao looked at him, he had on a white Doraemon Shirt, a beige suit, jeans and a pair of white sneakers. He waved at her and gave off a small smile, he looked so different from the Tanada in class. So different.

She mouthed. Thank you to him and her eyes welled up.

xxx

"Ok ladies, I know you held out for the last two! Let me hear bids going up to the four digits for these two!" Soujiro pointed to the two men left seated on the stage.

xxx


	15. Ep 15: 50

xxx

Ep. 15: $50

xxx

Aoshi's heart was breaking. He looked at the crowd. Somewhere in there was a girl he loved and then had to let go.

Whoever said love was magical and wonderful never had his heart broken. He smiled at this. He could hear the girls sigh. He would miss this, miss the school, miss his friends, miss the attention, miss his team mates. He would miss her most of all.

Of all the girls in that crowd that would give anything for his attention, he had to fall in love with the one girl he could not have.

He was one of the wealthiest boys in school, half the girls following him around all the time, captain of the basketball team, one of the brightest in his class, editor of the school newspaper, he was Kainan high's golden boy. Who would have thought he would get his heart broken? He almost laughed at this.

__

So this is what this feels like.

Fuck it Aoshi. Some things you just have to learn on your own.

He stood up and waved at the people. He was being introduced to the crowd. It didn't really matter everyone knew who he was anyway.

xxx

__

Love is never really sure. You have to risk it. You have to take the risk. Risk it.

Tomoe's heart beat so fast. She had to make a choice. She needed to make a choice.She looked at the two men left on the stage. Aoshi was the next to be auctioned off.

She had to decide.

xxx

Kenshin watched Aoshi work the crowd. He remembered when he was the one making the girls swoon, but then of course Yui would be there fighting them off. He smiled, he missed her. Being in the school made him think of all the good times they had. His eyes shifted to the people in the crowd, one particular face caught his eye.

__

Tomoe Yukishiro.

She looked lost. As if something was worrying her. He smiled, she was very beautiful whoever captured her heart would be so lucky. She snapped out of her trance and looked at him. He smiled at her and she gave him a small smile.

He knew he shouldn't be feeling this way. But you can not stop yourself from falling in love. Is that what it was? He asked himself. Was he in love with this girl?

He wasn't sure, he had only loved one other in his life. But Tomoe made him feel so alive, she was so beautiful and intelligent and she had a motherly air about her especially when it came to Enishi. She cared so much about the people around her and although she was usually quiet and reserved, it made it so much sweeter when you can make her laugh or get her excited about something. Whoever captured her heart would be so lucky.

__

I wish it was me.

xxx

"So my captain any special request?" Soujiro smiled.

"Just don't sell me cheap!" he laughed.

"Ok ladies open your hearts to this prize catch, he might be expensive but I know everyone will agree, he'd be worth every penny."

A competitive glint came over the eyes of the girls in the crowd and everyone of them simultaneously reached for their wallets.

"Ok lets begin the bid at" Soujiro began.

"Twenty five!" a senior yelled.

"Haha a little excited are we?" The host teased looking over at Aoshi, who just shrugged. "I have 25 do I have thirty?"

"Thirty!" two girls yelled at the same time.

"Wow, ok two bids of thirty do I have forty?"

Aoshi blocked it out. He didn't really care who would win him. He wanted to earn as much money as he could for Tomoe's Christmas Party fund. It would be his farewell gift to her.

"Fifty." Aoshi looked up. He knew that voice. His eyes caught hers, an apologetic smile upon her face. He reached over to Soujiro who was about to raise the bid and grabbed his gravel.

"Sold!" he yelled a great big smile on his face.

"Uh what?" Soujiro exclaimed confused.

But Aoshi didn't hear him he already jumped off the stage and was walking towards Tomoe, his heart beating like crazy. He didn't understand why she did what she did. He did not dare hope it was what he thought it was. He just wanted to go there and hold her.

"Tomoe?" He asked looking at her. "Why"

"My biggest regret would have been losing you without knowing what it would feel like to be loved by you." she said her eyes welling up. "It has always been you Aoshi. I was just too stupid to see it."

"Don't do this just because you need me." he said looking into her eyes, his heart stopping.

"I love you and that's why I need you." she whispered her tears falling. "Is it ok if I fall in love with you now?"

She fell into his arms as if she had always belonged there and inhaled his scent of soap once more. And gently she felt him place a kiss on her forehead. She looked up at him.

"Gross how cheezy we've become." He smiled and she laughed at this. And softly as if both were afraid they were doing it wrong, they kissed.

It was here that they noticed a spotlight was on them and that the entire gym was silent. They turned a conjugal shade of red.

"Uhm sold I guess" Soujiro smiled making it official.

xxx

Kamatari laughed and hugged the two. "Oh Aoshi, I knew it would never work between the two of us!" he smiled.

"Man it took you long enough!" Chou joined in. "Ugh you guys were driving us insane!"

xxx

Enishi looked at his sister. Something unreadable in his eyes.

"Aoshi and your sister? Isn't that kinda incestuous?" Shiro asked standing beside him.

"Yeah man, hasn't he been hanging around you guys since forever?" Sano added fighting off his dates.

"Leave them alone." Was all Enishi had to say. Kaoru looked at him, proud of the control he was showing.

"Are you sure its all right?" she whispered as the commotion died down.

"Aoshi will take care of her. That's all I ask for anyway." He said shrugging his shoulders. "Besides if he hurts her I know where he lives." He smiled.

xxx

Kenshin smiled at the two. The bidding for him had already started. His thoughts however, like everyone else's were on the new couple.

"A thousand." Somebody called over the crowd. Kenshin jumped, he didn't realize it would go that high. The voice sounded familiar.

"Going."

"Going."

A smile broke upon his lips. It was Yui.

"Sold!"

xxx

notes: ok ive dragged this long enough. I will end it in one or two episodes. I might confuse people with my amounts for the bids, I forgot I was using american dollars and not pesos so I might have gone overboard. Just don't think of it as that much, its more of a $1000 here is more like $100 in real life ok?


	16. Ep 16: Fifteen First Dates

xxx

Ep. 16: Fifteen First Dates

xxx

"What are you doing here?" he laughed kissing her on the cheek. "And why are you wasting money?

"Oh call it the romantic in me." she smiled. "I wanted one last date with you. Is that a crime?"

"Ugh yeah its called adultery." He said wrapping an arm around her.

"It's called meeting up with old friends to reminisce sicko!" she punched him in the side.

"It was kinda lonely being here without you. Its like Kainan wouldn't be Kainan if you weren't here with me." he sighed.

"Kenshin you big softy!"

"Stop teasing me or I'll call your husband!" he laughed.

They looked at the small makeshift restaurant in the garden. Each table had its own small cove of bougainvillea flowers, giving a sense of privacy. Some students dressed as waiters were running around from table to table serving the food. The table glowed with the small candles floating in a glass fish bowl and lanterns were hung over head.

"Oh yeah this is for you." he handed her the bouquet that the auctionees were supposed to give their dates.

"Oh wow thanks. This is probably the most romantic date I've been on with you."

"Well its hard to be romantic when you're eighteen, broke and had to practice every night"

"Including Saturdays." They said at the same time.

"This was a great idea." She smiled.

"It was Ms. Yukishiro's idea."

"The pretty girl that had the little drama thing before you?" she asked.

"Yep. She's the president of the student council. This was to raise funds for their Christmas Party. Great idea huh?" He smiled.

"Looks like someone has a crush on his student." She teased.

"What? Yui marriage has driven you nuts." He said thankful the glow of the candles masked his blush.

"I saw you when she picked that boy. You haven't changed at all Red." She called him by the pet name she gave him.

"Wow it's been a long time since I've heard that name." He laughed. "No one can see through me like you can." He uttered in defeat.

xxx

"Stop smiling you're freaking me out." Tomoe laughed looking at Aoshi's goofy smile.

"I can't believe it." was all he said. "I never thought I'd get everything I wanted." He whispered watching her. "I can't believe I'll get you."

"Wow I got the most elusive bachelor in school to go out with me." she took her hand in his.

"I was only elusive to everyone else."

"Are you happy Aoshi?" She asked burrowing deep inside his embrace.

"More than anything." He said rubbing her back.

"I hated seeing you sad. " she said looking up at him.

"I would have let you go if you had picked him." he said. "I actually thought you picked him."

She smiled up at him. "It was you." He kissed her once more, relishing the feel of her soft lips.

xxx

"So Misao what are your plans after high school?" Soujiro smiled as they started on their dessert.

"Oh I'd probably go to college somewhere close. Dad gets nervous a lot!" she laughed.

"This is the quietest meal we've ever shared. Are you ok?" he asked as he watched her stare at her cake.

"Upperclassman Seta?" she said quietly.

"How many times do I have to" for all the times she whispered it in her head, it sounded so alien on her tongue. "The truth is I've been in love with you for so long."

Soujiro stopped and looked at her tenderly.

"I've loved you so long I don't know how to stop." she couldn't look at him.

He was about to console her, tell her he would always love her as a sister but

"But then I don't need to." she smiled. "I'll always love you in my heart but I think I've fallen in love with someone else."

"I'm glad you've found someone. I'll always love you too little sister." He smiled squeezing her hand.

"Finish my cake upperclasSoujiro." She smiled and kissed him on the cheek as she ran out of garden. He watched her disappear form his eyesight, a sense of loss coming over his heart.

"Man you must really be gay to send your date running off like that." Tari commented leaning on the bougainvilleas.

"What are you doing here?" he smiled at his friend.

"Waiting for Chou." He pointed over to a table to the right where Chou and his date were apparently making out.

"Uhm from the looks of it, I think Chou won't be ready for another hour" he looked at the torrid scene beside them "or two."

"Man, get a room!" Tari yelled at them.

"Hey that cake hasn't been tou" before he could finish his sentence Tari was already half way through the strawberry shortcake, already eyeing his half-eaten slice. "You know for someone who's supposed to be womanly you sure are a pig."

"Gender roles are for squares." He grinned impishly while slowly moving Soujiro's plate closer to him.

xxx

"Uhm Mr. Himura? May I speak to you?" She asked shyly. She looked over at the girl in her teacher's arms. Her hair was longer and she looked older but it was the girl in the photograph.

"Sure Ms. Tomoe." Kenshin smiled. "Yui is it ok if I leave you for a while?"

Yui looked over at the girl and smiled. "Sure honey."

They walked over to the side of the school. The music from the dance fading and giving way to sounds the night makes. Kenshin looked at his student. Tomoe was beautiful. She looked so radiant in the moonlight.

"I can't believe I've lost another woman in my life." He smiled wistfully. The confused look on her face indicated he had said this out loud.

"Mr. Himura I think I owe you an explanation." She said tugging at her hair nervously.

"No, you don't." He shook his head, masking his read face.

"I really do care about you Mr. Himura." She said holding his hand. "If only..."

"Shh you sound like you regret your decision."

"No. I don't," she said turning her head away. "I just don't want you to feel abandoned."

"Teachers are always left behind you know. Students graduate and move on to different things, us we are left behind. To teach new classes, to meet new students. I choose this, this is what I want to do."

"I really do love Aoshi." She said as if reassuring herself.

"And he really does love you." he said in defeat. "Go to your date Ms. Tomoe. You paid good money for him." he laughed.

"Are you ok sir?" she asked real concern in her voice.

"I will be." He smiled walking away.

xxx

"Hey." Misao called as she spotted Tanada sitting alone in one side. Actually he wasn't alone. A lot of girls were hanging around him but he didn't seem to notice them. Misao frowned

"Shoo groupies shoo! Sagara is over by the pond!" she waved them away. Shiro smiled. "Man these girls just keep on following you don't they?"

"Uhm don't you have a date?" Shiro asked looking for Soujiro.

"Yeah but it ended early." she said sitting beside him.

"Rejected you huh?" Shiro said quietly.

"HEY! Why does everyone keep assuming that?" Misao exclaimed throwing her arms up in the air. "Does everyone think I'm too gross to have someone like Soujiro Seta actually take an interest in"

"I don't." Shiro said absently looking at the people on the dance floor.

"Huh? You don't what?"

"Think you're gross." He said looking at her. Misao blushed and focused her eyes on her hands.

"Hey thanks for the money." She said determined not to look at him. "You didn't have to."

"You were so hopeless we just thought you needed a little push."

"It was just what I needed." Misao said looking up at him. It was Shiro's turn to look away.

"It's just money, think of it as a gift don't feel like you're indebted to me or anything."

"I didn't need the money you know." she said. Shiro looked at her. "I needed the push." And she tentatively leaned close to him her lips puckered. Shiro looked at her for a moment.

"Uhm what are you doing?" he said stoically. Misao opened her eyes, embarrassed.

"Oh gosh I'm so sorry I just thought that you were interested in me and it never occurred to me that"

"Makimachi you idiot!" Shiro laughed and pulled her close to him and kissed her. He was smiling when he pulled away and was promptly met with a crisp slap to the face.

"That's for making me panic!" Misao smiled coming in for another kiss.

xxx

"Did it hurt?" she asked holding his hand.

"Not as much as when you left me." he smiled. "It's just that she made me feel like I existed. She reminded me of you so much. Sometimes I wondered if that was all it was."

"Was it?"

"Some things are better left unknown and sometimes you just have to accept defeat. That boy really loves her."

"Yeah I could tell." She smiled. "Hey you, you ok?"

"Yeah, that's how love is. Sometimes you just have to know when to let go." A silence fell between them. They looked around at the other couples.

"Oh Red, when did we get old?" Yui sighed putting her head on his shoulder.

"Who you calling old?" he laughed.

xxx


	17. Epilogue

xxx

Epilogue

xxx

The crowd cheered as Aoshi the scored the winning shot. The buzzer rang all throughout the gym. They won.

Kenshin smiled and walked out as mayhem ensued on the courts. It was their moment, not his. He was walking along the silent corridor when a loud bang stopped him in his tracks. Behind him Tomoe came running, her hair hitting him on the face. She turned around and smiled at him.

On the other side of the corridor Aoshi burst out of the double doors. A great big grin on his face as he caught his girl in his arms. They both waved at Mr. Himura before he gave her a great big kiss. Suddenly the silent corridor burst with noise as the entire school came to congratulate their captain.

Kenshin waved back at his students. In a month they would graduate and a new set of students will have to be taught. He smiled and walked away.

xxx

Note: with that I am announcing my retirement from fanfiction writing. Its been four years and though I will miss writing about these characters I think it is time I leave the writing to the others. I might do some stuff maybe if inspiration strikes or if I get requests from people who have enjoyed my work but I think that will be rare now. To those who were interested enough to read some of my stories I am grateful, I apologize to anyone whom I have offended. I started with 1 story to tell and ended up writing 28 stories in compromising four anime series. But I started in rk way back in 2000 and so I am ending it here as well. So I hope you who are reading this have enjoyed my stories as much as I have enjoyed making them up. _Maraming Salamat Po._


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